The streets of Tel Aviv, Caesarea, and Haifa saw a resurgence of anti-government protesters in Israel, renewing their calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation and pushing for early elections amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Demonstrators waved Israeli flags and held signs featuring images of hostages, demanding their release, as reported by CNN.
“We are not afraid; you destroyed the country, and we will fix it. We want them (hostages) back alive and not in coffins,” the protesters in Tel Aviv were heard chanting, as per CNN.
Another banner advocated for the “separation of religion and state,” while one asserted that “Netanyahu poses a threat to Israel.” In Haifa, protesters labeled the government as ineffective, chanting “guilty, guilty, guilty” in reference to Netanyahu, as reported by CNN.
“Elections now!” read another banner held by a protester.
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There has been a growing discontent among Israelis regarding Netanyahu’s handling of the ongoing conflict and the release of hostages held in Gaza since October 7th. In Tel Aviv, a protester was apprehended for assaulting and injuring a police officer during an anti-government demonstration on Saturday, as stated by the Israeli Police. Additionally, the Israel Police cautioned protesters against lighting bonfires while marching through the streets, citing potential life-threatening hazards in crowded areas.
Following a demonstration in front of the Israeli parliament on Sunday night, during which they ignited fires and waved flags, protesters obstructed a major municipal thoroughfare. They claimed this was the largest protest since the onset of the Gaza War in October. Protesters chanted for Netanyahu to resign, prompting police to employ water cannons to disperse the crowd, leading to pushing and shoving.
The Prime Minister is under pressure as the opposition to his right wing government has joined hands with families of roughly one hundred hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Demonstrations against Netanyahu over controversial judicial reforms had been ongoing for months even before Israel’s conflict with Gaza erupted.
On October 7, Hamas took approximately 250 prisoners, of whom Israel estimates that 130 are still in Gaza, 33 of whom are thought to be dead, as per Al Jazeera. The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.
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