Protests have erupted in various cities and towns across Israel as demonstrators call for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas. The protest locations include Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ra’anana, Be’er Sheva, Kfar Saba, Kiryat Bialik, Afula, Ness Ziona, Binyamina, and several major intersections and bridges around the country, as reported by protest organizers.
In Tel Aviv, organizers estimated a crowd size of 300,000, with police being asked for an official estimate on the number of attendees. In Jerusalem, a group representing the families of Israeli hostages mentioned that thousands of supporters had joined them in demonstrating outside a cabinet meeting.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which organized the protests, stated, “They speak for the entire nation, demanding a deal. They hope that the cabinet members, who decided last Thursday to abandon the hostages, will hear their plea.”
The forum had called for protests on Sunday following the Israeli military's announcement that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages killed by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli officials had indicated that three of the hostages were expected to be released in a potential ceasefire deal.
