Tel Aviv, MINA – Thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand a prisoner exchange agreement with Palestinian groups and an end to the ongoing war on Gaza.
Protesters held banners reading “No victory without return of hostages” and “There are 50 kidnapped families in Gaza,” according to Israeli Channel 13 as cited by Anadolu Agency.
The mass demonstration took place amid reports of a deadlock in indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas delegations in Qatar. “The negotiations have not collapsed, and the Israeli delegation continues talks in Doha despite Hamas intransigence,” Channel 13 quoted an unnamed political official as saying.
A forum representing families of Israeli captives in Gaza urged the government to seize the current opportunity to end the war. “Missing the current momentum would be a serious failure; every day the war continues is an achievement for Hamas and a serious risk for our hostages and soldiers,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated.
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“All polls and data show that an absolute majority of the Israeli public wants an end to the war in Gaza and the return of hostages, including a decisive majority among coalition voters,” the statement added.
Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the families said, “History will remember what you chose: the hostages and fighters, or cheap political maneuvers.”
On Wednesday, Hamas announced its willingness to release 10 Israeli captives alive as a gesture of “flexibility” to advance a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal. However, Israel has remained firm on certain demands, including maintaining a buffer zone 2 to 3 kilometers wide in the Rafah area and 1 to 2 kilometers in other border regions.
Israel has ignored repeated international calls for a ceasefire, continuing its offensive on Gaza since late October 2023. Nearly 58,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children have been killed, and the enclave has suffered widespread destruction, severe food shortages, and disease outbreaks. []
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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