Thousands of people across Israel took to the streets Sunday morning, demanding an end to the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages, as the Israeli army gears up for a new offensive.
Demonstrations in Israel
Protests began more than a week after the Israeli security cabinet approved plans to seize Gaza. In Tel Aviv’s so‑called Prisoners’ Square, demonstrators unfurled a flag bearing portraits of those kidnapped by Hamas. Protesters blocked streets and the Tel Aviv‑Jerusalem highway, and organizers called for a nationwide strike.
“I think it’s time to end the war. Time to free all the hostages and help Israel rebuild toward a more stable Middle East,” said a 54‑year‑old participant at a rally in Jerusalem, quoted by AFP.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticised the protests, describing them as a campaign that “plays in favor of Hamas.”
Residents Fleeing the Gaza District
Thousands of residents are fleeing Zeitoun, the southern district of Gaza City, amid Israeli plans to seize the city. Local authorities say the situation in Zeitoun, bombarded for days, is catastrophic. Saturday attacks across the Gaza Strip killed at least 40 people. Israel is preparing to relocate residents from attacked areas to the southern part of the enclave.
Israel’s Actions in Gaza
Israel’s expansion plans have sparked opposition both domestically and abroad. The United Nations reports famine in Gaza. According to Palestinian civil defense, only on Saturday the Israeli army had 13 people awaiting humanitarian aid. The Ministry of Health’s figures show that since the start of the war more than 61,800 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the Gaza Strip.
