Mounted police in Tel Aviv at an anti-government, pro hostage deal protest

Tel Aviv Protests Demand Hostages' Release As Criticism Of Netanyahu Grows

Details
The Judean Staff
National

Scuffles erupted last night (Saturday) between Israeli police and protesters in Tel Aviv as thousands gathered to demand the government secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. This demonstration comes in the wake of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 people being taken hostage.

The Tel Aviv protesters, many carrying photos of abducted female soldiers and banners urging an end to the war, called for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded new elections. Hilit Sagi, from Women Protest for the Return of All Hostages, emphasized their frustration, stating, "We could not stay at home after the government abandoned all these people."

Criticism of Netanyahu's handling of the conflict has intensified, with accusations of insufficient action to secure the hostages' release. Snir Dahan, whose niece Carmel Gat is among the hostages, expressed his discontent, saying, "Basically they are not doing enough in order for the hostages to come back, either with military force, with a hostages' deal, negotiating. Nothing is being done."

The Israeli army recently announced the recovery of the bodies of six hostages killed during the initial Hamas attack, highlighting the ongoing tragedy. Approximately half of the 250 hostages taken by Hamas and other militants have been freed, mainly through prisoner swaps during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

International pressure on Netanyahu's government has grown, with calls to halt the war and permit humanitarian aid into Gaza, where 2.3 million Palestinians, many displaced, reside. This week, three European countries recognized a Palestinian state, and the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor sought arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders.

The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to cease its military offensive in Rafah and open border crossings for humanitarian aid, though Israel is unlikely to comply. South Africa has accused Israel of genocide, a claim Israel denies.

Amidst these developments, over a million Palestinians have fled Rafah as Israeli forces advanced. The takeover of the Rafah border crossing by Israel has severely hampered aid operations as egypt has withheld aid in hopes of getting Israel to stop their Rafah advance. It was revealed in the weeks since Israel took over the area that an extensive network of terror tunnels leading into Egypt was intact, despite Egyptian claims they had been destroyed. Under pressure, Egypt has agreed to send humanitarian aid through Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, though its entry remains uncertain due to ongoing conflict. Hamas has targeted the Kerem Shalom crossing with rocket fire for over a month, which has disrupted the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip, although Israel has kept the crossing open for most of the time.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command reported that rough seas affected four US vessels supporting the humanitarian mission, with two anchoring near the Gaza coast and two in Israel. The US is collaborating with the Israeli military to recover the vessels, and no injuries have been reported.

As a result of the choppy waters, a small US military vessel and a portion of a docking area washed ashore near Ashdod, close to the US-built pier facilitating the movement of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Concurrently, Israeli bombardments were reported in northern and central Gaza.

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