April 7, 2024
Israeli demonstrators are demanding early elections and negotiations to release the hostages
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Israeli cities to protest the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The demonstrators called for more efforts to negotiate the release of hostages held by the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas.
Chants of “elections now” were heard at the protests, with many demonstrators demanding Netanyahu's resignation.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid participated in a march in the city of Kfar Saba in central Israel.
“They haven't learned anything, they haven't changed,” he said at that gathering. “Until we bring them home, they will not give this country a chance to move forward.”
Israeli media said that clashes broke out between protesters and the police during a march in Tel Aviv. Police said that one of the demonstrators was arrested.
Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli army announced that its forces found the body of a hostage in the Gaza Strip.
Six months ago, Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 250 hostage.
In response, Israel launched an attack on the Gaza Strip that killed at least 33,000 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health in the Hamas-administered territory. The ministry's tally does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
According to Israeli estimates, 129 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including 34 who are believed to be dead. The ceasefire agreement reached in November led to the release of 105 hostages.
Before the war between Israel and Hamas began in October, Netanyahu's government had already faced mass protests over controversial judicial reform.
sdi/wd (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)
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