Thousands of Israelis protest against Netanyahu gov’t, demand prisoner swap with Palestinians

Thousands of Israelis protested Saturday in several cities, including Tel Aviv, demanding a hostage swap deal with Palestinian factions and early elections.

"Thousands began gathering at Kaplan Square in central Tel Aviv to participate in a central demonstration organized weekly to demand a hostage swap deal and early elections," the state-run Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported.

Thousands of Israelis also demonstrated at the Karkur junction in northern Israel and in the city of Rehovot near Tel Aviv as part of protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, demanding a hostage swap deal, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

At the Karkur junction, the protesters held a banner that read "Netanyahu does not want the war to end and the hostages to return," and chanted: "We need new leadership... Elections now."

Thousands of people also protested in front of Netanyahu's residence in Caesarea, calling for early elections. The protesters also demanded an "immediate" deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

On Sunday, Netanyahu said that he is only ready for a "partial" deal to retrieve some Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu backtracked on his statements Monday, claiming that he is committed to a Gaza cease-fire proposal backed by US President Joe Biden.

Israel "will not end the war until we bring back all the hostages (…) we will not end the war until we eliminate Hamas and return residents of the south safely to their homes," Netanyahu said at the Knesset (Israel's parliament).

Israel estimates that around 120 Israelis are held by Hamas in Gaza.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt have so far failed to agree on a permanent cease-fire that allows a prisoner swap between Israelis and Palestinians.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

More than 37,800 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and more than 86,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nearly nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.