More than 100,000 people took to the streets in Israel on Sunday to protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to intensify military action in the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli media reports citing the organiser, the public organisation Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons, protests also took place in other cities. According to The Times of Israel, tens of thousands of people gathered in several towns, including at least 10,000 in Tel Aviv.
The protesters demanded an end to military operations and the release of about 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza. They waved Israeli flags and held posters with pictures of the captives and slogans against the government.
Similar demonstrations are regularly held in Israel, calling for a ceasefire and an agreement with Hamas on the release of hostages. The scale of the protests grew after the authorities announced plans to capture the Gaza Strip, despite criticism at home and abroad. According to polls, the majority of citizens support an immediate ceasefire.
A few days ago, the security cabinet decided to occupy Gaza City after ten hours of consultations. However, some senior military officials opposed the idea, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
The planned operation could be a step towards the complete occupation of the territory and could last several months. Earlier, Netanyahu said that Israel does not intend to annex Gaza after the end of the conflict and plans to transfer control of the region to a temporary governing body.
