Tens of thousands protest in Israel, demand prisoner exchange amid hostage crisis
Thousands of Israelis protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for not signing the ceasefire agreement with Gaza in Tel Aviv, Israel on September 01, 2024. (AA Photo)
Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied across the country on Sunday, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to secure a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.
Protests erupted on Begin Street in central Tel Aviv and expanded to several other cities, including Jerusalem, Haifa, Ashdod, Ramat Negev, and Kfar Tavor. Demonstrators blocked major roads and held a mass march in front of government offices in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, Israel’s largest labor union called for a general strike on Monday to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to reach a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinians.
In another development, Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport suspends flights amid nationwide strike following recovery of bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza.
Bodies of 6 hostages recovered
The demonstrations followed an announcement from the Israeli army that it had recovered the bodies of 6 hostages from the southern Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli daily Haaretz, three of these hostages were among those listed for release in the first stage of ongoing negotiations.
Hamas claimed that the hostages were killed due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Israel estimates that over 100 hostages are still held by Hamas in Gaza, with some believed to have already been killed.
Israeli atrocities continue
Despite efforts by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to mediate a prisoner exchange and cease-fire, progress has been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands.
The Israeli government has continued its military offensive in Gaza, resulting in over 40,700 Palestinian deaths and more than 94,100 injuries since the conflict escalated on October 7.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the ICJ, which has called for a halt to military operations in Rafah, a city that had sheltered over one million Palestinians before the invasion on May 6.
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