Thousands of people gather to demand the end of the war and release of Israeli prisoners in Gaza.
Thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv to call on the government to end the war with Gaza and to secure the immediate release of Israeli prisoners of war held in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that in Tel Aviv, Israeli campaign group Hostages and Missing Family Forum held weekly meetings at the “Hostage Square” on Saturday, with another demonstration by the families of prisoners taking place outside Israel’s military headquarters.
Another anti-government protest has also been occurring in Havima Square in Tel Aviv.
During the Israeli era, Shay Mose, whose parents were taken prisoner and released in separate exchange deals, told the crowd at the protests in Habima Square, “Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who is destroying Israel as a Jew and a democratic state.”
Critics of Israel’s Netanyahu accused the prime minister of expanding the war for his own personal and political survival.
Haaretz also reported that protests are expected at other cities, including Jerusalem, Haifa and Beersheba, as well as dozens of other sites and intersections across Israel.
After Netanyahu announced it had spread the attack in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Hostages and Missing Family Forum criticised the move in a statement, saying the plan “sacrificed” people still held on Palestinian territory.
Hamas releases video of two Israeli prisoners living in Gaza
Hamas’ armed wings released a video showing two Israeli prisoners living in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Israeli media has identified the pair as Elkana Bobot and Joseph Heim Ohana in the undated video.
The three-minute video released by Hamas’ Kassam Brigade shows one of the prisoners, identified by the media as Bobot, 36, visibly weak, lying on a blanket-wrapped floor.
The 24-year-old Ohana speaks in Hebrew in video, urging the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all remaining prisoners of war.
Bobot and Ohana were accused of Palestinian fighters from the location of the music festival when Hamas attacked Southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
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