Tel aviv: Hundreds demonstrated in several cities across Israel on Tuesday to demand a Gaza ceasefire and a prisoner swap agreement with Palestinians.
According to Anadolu Agency, protesters gathered outside the homes of government ministers, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in central Israel and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Jerusalem, to voice their demands.
Several highways and streets were blocked by protesters, although police later reopened the roads to traffic. 'The Israeli government knowingly decided on a military operation that, according to all security officials' assessments, will lead to the death of my son Eitan,' Itzik Horn, whose son is held in Gaza, stated at a press conference. The protests were in response to the Israeli Security Cabinet's approval of a plan by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to gradually reoccupy the Gaza Strip, starting with Gaza City, on August 8.
Horn accused Netanyahu of ignoring 'a real possibility for an agreement' that could ensure the return of all Israeli hostages. Last week, Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Despite this, Israel has not responded to the proposal, and Netanyahu has ordered the continuation of the plan to occupy Gaza City.
'Israel is standing against Netanyahu and his government,' asserted Yehuda Cohen, the father of an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip. Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is also held in Gaza, expressed that 'Netanyahu is afraid of public pressure.' She urged Israeli citizens to protest to compel the government to negotiate a comprehensive ceasefire that guarantees the return of all hostages.
Current estimates from Tel Aviv suggest that there are 50 Israeli hostages in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 10,400 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, reportedly suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, leading to numerous deaths, as indicated by Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
Since October 2023, Israel's military campaign has resulted in the death of more than 62,800 Palestinians in Gaza, leaving the region devastated and facing famine. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.