Tens of thousands of Israeli protesters took to the streets Saturday in a new wave of protests to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a deal with Hamas to release captives held in Gaza.
According to local media, around 750,000 people took to the streets across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and Haifa, as well as in the Karkur Junction area near Haifa.
“I think that even those who were perhaps reluctant to come out, who are not used to protesting, who are sad but prefer to stay in their private space, in their sadness, have understood that our voices must unite to shout loudly: bring the hostages and make a deal. Don’t risk their lives,” said a protester in Tel Aviv, Efrat Machikawa, niece of detained Gadi Moses.
Protesters have called on the government to agree to a ceasefire to free dozens of prisoners in Gaza. The discovery of the bodies of six prisoners last week has rekindled anger at Netanyahu, who has insisted on a military solution to the problem.
But most of the prisoners have been released through dialogue. At least 105 of them were freed under a truce agreed last November. Hamas’s demand for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange with Palestinian prisoners has been rejected by Netanyahu.
Israel estimates that more than 100 captives are still being held in Gaza, some of whom have reportedly been killed.
Hundreds of protesters blocked main roads in Tel Aviv and Haifa, leading to clashes with police and arrests, according to Channel 12 television, which noted that Saturday’s demonstrations were “among the largest protests the country has seen since October 7, 2023.”
The Israeli offensive against Gaza has killed more than 40,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 94,700, according to local health authorities.
Israel has also restricted the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, leading to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel is accused of genocide for its actions in Gaza before the International Court of Justice.