Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Israel on Tuesday in a coordinated 'day of disruption', blocking highways and rallying outside government buildings to press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire deal and abandon plans for a ground offensive in Gaza City. The protests, led by relatives of hostages held in Gaza, were among the largest seen in months.
The biggest march and rally took place in Tel Aviv, while hundreds gathered in Jerusalem outside the prime minister's office as the security cabinet met to discuss the war. Dozens of other protests erupted nationwide, including on the main highway to Haifa and inside Ben Gurion airport. The military has been ordered to speed up preparations for an assault on Gaza City, even as mediators say they are still awaiting Israel's response to a ceasefire proposal.
Netanyahu has dismissed warnings that attacking Gaza City would be catastrophic for Palestinians facing famine and dangerous for the roughly 20 hostages believed to still be alive. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, no decision on the campaign was reached at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, amid international outrage over a hospital strike that killed 20 people, including five journalists.
Qatar's foreign ministry called on Israel to respond to the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which has been accepted by Hamas and reflects previous Israeli demands. Spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said attempts to stall were clear to the international community, adding: 'It is time for Israel to give a serious answer to what it has already agreed to in the past.'
Opinion polls indicate a majority of Israelis support ending the war as part of a deal to free all remaining hostages, driven largely by concerns for their safety and the impact of two years of conflict on society and the economy. However, nearly three-quarters of Jewish Israelis partially or fully agree with the government's claim that 'there are no innocents in Gaza', and a previous survey found 78 per cent were untroubled by reports of Palestinian suffering.
Netanyahu faces pressure from far-right coalition partners who threaten to quit if he agrees to a ceasefire, while critics, including hostages' relatives, accuse him of prolonging the war to secure his political survival. Einav Zangauker, whose 25-year-old son Matan is still in Gaza, said: 'We could have ended the war a year ago and brought all the hostages and soldiers home... but the prime minister chose, again and again, to sacrifice civilians for the sake of his rule.' Among the protesters was 88-year-old Ada Gorni, with her daughter Carmen, who held a sign reading 'Enough' in Arabic, English and Hebrew. Carmen said: 'We just want to stop the war, bring home the hostages and stop the starvation in Gaza. I think we have to say it out loud, but I don't think they are listening to us.'
