Protesters rally in Israeli cities demanding the resignation of Netanyahu’s government and the release of hostages held in Gaza.
In West Jerusalem, hundreds of Israelis demonstrated outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding that he strike an agreement with a Palestinian resistance group. Simultaneously, in Caesarea in northern Israel, 1,200 people demonstrated in front of Netanyahu’s house with the same aims.
Demonstrators chanted against Netanyahu’s government, saying: “Elections now!”
“Israeli police arrested 7 protesters in Kaplan Square in downtown Tel Aviv on charges of rioting during the rally demanding the government to strike a deal with Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza,” the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.
Qatar, Egypt and the US are sponsoring hostage exchange and Gaza ceasefire talks between Tel Aviv and Palestinian factions. Sources suggest this could happen before 11 March, when Ramadan is expected to begin.
The previous truce, which included a cessation of hostilities and hostage exchanges, lasted a week in late November.
Israel launched its offensive to destroy Hamas after the 7 October attacks, in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed and about 250 others taken hostage in Gaza. Israeli strikes subsequently killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and destroyed much of the infrastructure.
