Thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to demand an end to the war in the Gaza Strip and to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a deal to release the remaining hostages. According to reports, over 15,000 people gathered in Jerusalem's Paris Square, joining the families of hostages still being held by Hamas. The protesters demanded immediate action to ensure their return home and to end the conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Currently, of the 48 hostages still being held in Gaza, around 20 are believed to be alive. However, the Israeli government has not yet officially responded to a possible deal that would allow for the release of some of them. Israel has previously reiterated that any deal must guarantee the return of all hostages.
Prime Minister Netanyahu continues to maintain his stance that “total victory over Hamas” is the only path to the return of the hostages, rejecting the compromises proposed so far.
According to figures published by the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 64,368 Palestinians have been killed so far in Israeli operations. The UN considers these figures to be reliable, although Israeli authorities dispute them, describing them as manipulated for propaganda purposes.
Voices of protest within Israel are growing, while international pressure on Tel Aviv has intensified, with numerous calls from the country’s allies to stop the offensive and focus on resolving the hostage issue.
