Thousands of Israelis rally to demand releasing remaining Israeli captives in Gaza

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Thousands of Israelis on Saturday evening rallied in Tel Aviv to pressure the Israeli government to release the remaining Israeli captives held in Gaza.

According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, some of the released hostages and their relatives joined the rally.

At the rally, the demonstrators raised banners calling on the government to release all Israeli captives held in Gaza, estimated by Israel to be 137 captives.

The rally also witnessed the screening of filmed messages by released captives who urged the Israeli decision-makers to release all Israeli captives held in Gaza.

On Friday morning, the Israeli army resumed its onslaught against Gaza as the belligerent parties failed to renew the humanitarian pause which lasted for seven days.

Under the humanitarian pause deal between Israel and the Hamas group, 81 Israelis, 23 Thai nationals and one a Philipino national were released, in exchange of releasing 240 Palestinians including 71 women and 169 children.

At least 193 Palestinians have been killed and 652 injured since Friday in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

More than 15,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

Around 1,200 Israelis have also been killed, according to official estimates.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar