Police and protesters clashed in Tel Aviv on Saturday night after a day of rallies calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the return of all hostages. Videos posted on social media showed horse-mounted police and water cannons in Tel Aviv’s Democracy Square attempting to disperse crowds, resulting in violent clashes.
At a separate protest, police arrested two individuals for disorderly conduct after they allegedly left the approved demonstration site and engaged in disruptive behavior. The clashes followed anti-government protest marches in various Israeli cities, with demonstrators demanding the release of hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on October 7 and calling for a general election.
Israeli officials reported that around 250 people were taken hostage during the October 7 attack, with 1,200 casualties. Israel's retaliatory actions in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Many protesters criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for corruption and its handling of the conflict with Hamas. Families of hostages also rallied for negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of all captives.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that 125 hostages are believed to still be held in Gaza, with negotiations for their release set to resume in Cairo on Tuesday. A previous release deal in November freed over 100 hostages, but the PMO indicated that at least 37 of the remaining captives in Gaza may have died.
Both Egyptian and Israeli officials confirmed that talks for a ceasefire and hostage swap deal are scheduled to resume next week, with Cairo as the likely location for the negotiations.
