Massive protests engulfed Israel on Sunday as hundreds of thousands of citizens took to the streets, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas in exchange for the safe return of hostages held in Gaza.
The nationwide demonstrations saw an estimated 7,00,000 participants, with the central rally in Tel Aviv drawing around 5,50,000 people, according to reports from Xinhua news agency, citing Israel’s Ynet news site.
The protests erupted early in the day following an announcement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirming the discovery of the bodies of six hostages in Gaza.
The demonstrations intensified throughout the evening and into the night, reflecting the mounting frustration and emotional turmoil among Israelis over the ongoing hostage crisis.
In Tel Aviv, a significant protest occurred outside the Kirya military base, which houses the IDF’s headquarters. Demonstrators, waving Israeli flags and chanting ‘A deal Now!’, voiced their demand for immediate action.
Many in the crowd held up posters bearing images of the hostages, who remain trapped in Gaza.
Hamas currently holds 101 hostages, with nearly half feared dead due to attacks by Hamas or Israeli airstrikes.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan Zangauker is among the hostages, delivered a powerful speech to the gathered crowd. She however claimed that a deal is on the table that could secure the release of the hostages, but accused Netanyahu of stalling negotiations to preserve support from his coalition allies, particularly pro-settler factions.
Tensions escalated further in Tel Aviv as thousands of protesters lit fires on the Ayalon Highway, temporarily shutting down the city’s main thoroughfare.
Police intervened to disperse the crowd, leading to at least 12 arrests across the country.
As night fell, the impact of the protests was felt nationwide. Businesses, including cinemas, theatres, museums, universities, restaurants, and cafes, closed their doors in a show of solidarity with the demonstrators.
Meanwhile, the protests are likely to continue into Monday, bolstered by a general strike.
Arnon Bar-David, the secretary-general of the Histadrut, Israel’s largest workers’ union, announced the strike during a live television broadcast.
He accused Netanyahu of allowing political considerations to obstruct a potential deal to free the hostages.
The protests were sparked by the grim recovery of the bodies of two women and four men from Gaza, who were killed in a Hamas tunnel just before IDF forces reached them.
Hamas captured the six during their 7 October 2023 attack on Israeli communities, which killed about 1,200 people and captured around 250 others.
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