Protesters demanding Gaza ceasefire clash with police in Tel Aviv
Tensions escalated in Tel Aviv on Saturday as thousands of Israeli protesters clashed with police, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the return of all hostages held in Gaza. The demonstration was marked by banners reading "Stop the war" and "Help," as police used water cannons to disperse crowds refusing to leave in Democracy Square.
Why does this story matter?
The clash followed anti-government protest marches in various Israeli cities, which demanded the return of captives kidnapped during Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on October 7 and a general election. Nearly 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas and 1,200 were killed during the October 7 attack on southern Israel. Since then, over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Public outcry over government's handling of hostage crisis
At the rallies, some protestors carried images of the female soldiers who appeared in a video earlier last week, shortly after being abducted during the October 7 attack. Sagi, from "Women Protest for the Return of All Hostages," stated, "We all saw the video, we could not stay at home after the government abandoned all these people." Israeli reports indicate that around 100 hostages and approximately 30 bodies remain in Gaza.
Massive protest demanding Netanyahu's resignation
Bodies of 3 hostages killed were recovered from Gaza
Last week, the bodies of three hostages killed were recovered from Gaza, Israel's army said on Friday. The army stated that they were killed on the day of the attack, and their bodies were transported to Gaza. The news came less than a week after the army revealed it had discovered the bodies of three more Israeli hostages killed on October 7.
International pressure mounts on Netanyahu's government
Netanyahu's government is under increasing domestic and international pressure to halt the war and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. This week, three European countries recognized a Palestinian state, while the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court requested arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. The International Court of Justice also ordered Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah and open border crossings for crucial humanitarian aid.
