Hundreds of Israelis take to the streets demanding end to war, release of hostages

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Hundreds of Israelis protested late Wednesday near the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, demanding an end to the war and a deal to release the hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

The demonstrators, including the families of the hostages, marched from Habima Square to Begin Road, where the ministry is located, Israel’s Maariv daily reported.

They blocked Begin Road in the southbound direction.

The demonstrators held signs with slogans such as "Stop the war," "Deal now" and "Bring back all the captives."

In a statement, the organizers of the demonstration criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for being preoccupied with legislation like the Conscription Law while there are 120 hostages in the Gaza Strip.

They said the Israeli government is "occupied with everything except the captives."

Referring to Netanyahu, they added: "In facing someone who insists on continuing the war and bringing back some of the captives, we ask: stop the war and bring everyone back home."

On Sunday evening, Netanyahu sparked a political storm and anger among the families of the hostages when he told Channel 14 that he was ready for a “partial” deal to retrieve some of the hostages held in Gaza.

He retracted his statement Monday and said before Israel’s Knesset, or parliament, that “we will not end the war until we bring back all the hostages,” adding Israel is “committed to the Israeli (cease-fire) proposal welcomed by (US) President (Joe) Biden. Our position has not changed.”

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than 37,700 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 86,400 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than eight months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala