Thousands of Israelis converged in the center of Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding the return of prisoners held in Gaza and calling for early elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
The demonstrators marched through Habima Square, with some holding signs critical of Netanyahu with slogans like “Face of evil” and “Elections now.”
Protests also occurred in Haifa and outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem, where demonstrators called for the return of prisoners.
Avi Lulu, the father of Alon Shamriz, announced by the Israeli forces as having been killed “by mistake” in Gaza, stated that Netanyahu’s government is heading towards a disaster.
“The way things are going, all hostages will die. It’s not too late to release them,” he added.
Israelis Protest in Tel Aviv, Call for Netanyahu’s Resignation
Israelis are protesting in the heart of Tel Aviv, demanding the dismissal of Netanyahu’s government and holding the prime minister responsible for the events of October 7 and the fate of the prisoners in Gaza. Al Jazeera correspondent Fatima Khemaysi brings us the scene from the #GazaWar #News
— Al Jazeera Channel (@AJArabic) January 20, 2024
Escalating Criticism
Netanyahu’s ruling coalition faces increasing criticism from political opponents over its handling of the war and the prisoner issue.
Yael Nev, a demonstrator, expressed that Israel is in dire need of a new government to correct its course.
A 50-year-old protester emphasized that “the messianic elements in our government” pose a significant danger to Israel while distributing flyers calling for the return of detainees.
She added, “The elimination of Hamas will not be achieved through war and escalating violence.”
Meanwhile, protester Dor Endov, a lawyer, argued that the war must be stopped and prisoners returned, adding that Netanyahu “really wants this war to continue.”
“We lost the war on October 7 last year when these people were abducted.. We want our families and the kidnapped to return home,” he continued.
Intense Pressure
It’s notable that Netanyahu faces intense pressure to recover detainees captured on October 7 last year and then transported to Gaza, where Israel wages a devastating war, aiming to eliminate the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and other Palestinian factions.
Out of approximately 250 detainees, about 100 were released during a temporary humanitarian ceasefire at the end of last November, while 132 remain in Gaza. Of these, 27 prisoners have died without their bodies being returned, according to Israeli data.
