TEL AVIV — Israeli protesters demanding an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages held there filled the streets Tuesday morning, hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was set to convene, reported by Hurriyet Daily News.
Demonstrators blocked key roads in Tel Aviv, waving Israeli flags and holding portraits of captives seized during Hamas’s October 2023 attack. Others gathered outside ministers’ homes across the country and near a U.S. embassy branch, intensifying pressure on the government to strike a deal.
“Netanyahu prioritizes destroying Hamas over releasing the hostages,” said Ruby Chen, whose son was abducted last year. “He believes it is acceptable to sacrifice 50 hostages for political needs.”
The cabinet’s agenda has not been disclosed, though local media reported discussions could center on renewed ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations. Earlier this month, the government approved plans for the military to take control of Gaza City, a move that stoked fresh fears for hostages’ safety and triggered nationwide demonstrations.
Netanyahu has since ordered new talks on freeing the remaining captives, even as he vowed to press ahead with the Gaza City offensive. His decision came shortly after Hamas said it had accepted a ceasefire framework proposed by mediators, offering a staggered release of hostages over 60 days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The war’s toll deepened Monday when Israeli strikes hit a Gaza hospital, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists from international outlets. The United Nations and several Western allies expressed outrage. Netanyahu later called the incident a “tragic mishap,” and the military announced a preliminary inquiry.
Since Hamas’s assault that left 1,219 dead and 251 taken hostage, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 62,700 Palestinians, most civilians, according to Gaza health officials. Nearly 200 journalists have also been killed—making this one of the deadliest wars for the press in recent history.
