Tel aviv: Thousands demonstrated in Israeli cities Saturday to demand a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that thousands gathered in Hostages' Square in central Tel Aviv to press the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike a swap deal. Family members of the captives joined the main demonstration in Tel Aviv, holding Netanyahu responsible for the failure to secure the release of their relatives.

Additional protests were staged in other cities, including Rishon LeZion in central Israel and Haifa in the north, as reported by Channel 12. The outlet noted that demonstrators blocked major roads, including a section of Highway 90 near Kiryat Shmona linking the north and south.

On Thursday, Netanyahu instructed negotiators to begin immediate talks to release the hostages while simultaneously moving forward with his plan to reoccupy Gaza City. Tel Aviv estimates that 50 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, with 20 of them alive.

More than 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, experiencing torture, starvation, and medical neglect that has claimed many lives, according to rights groups. Israel has killed more than 62,600 Palestinians in a military campaign in Gaza since October 2023, devastating the enclave, which is 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 also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.