Israelis demand release of hostages and Netanyahu's resignation at protests

(Patria) - Shouting "elections now" and "return the hostages now", thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand the departure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, AFP reported.

Wearing T-shirts and banners with the names and pictures of hostages captured during Hamas's attack on October 7, demonstrators demanded swift action to rescue the remaining prisoners. The attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, and Israel's campaign has killed 30,960 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. About 100 hostages remain alive in Gaza, and 31 are considered dead, Israel said, a key source of the demonstrators' despair.

The demonstrators also called for an immediate ceasefire, which Netanyahu's government has so far rejected, arguing that it would represent a victory for Hamas.

Saturday's rally somewhat resembled the mass protests against Netanyahu's controversial judicial reform before the Gaza war.

A color revolution in #Moscow??? 😱 Nah. Israelis protest against their genocidal gvt & Sataniyahu. #Israel #Ukraine #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineNazis #ZelenskyWarCriminal #ZelenskysWar #Zelenskystan pic.twitter.com/n5wmxqKJbX

— Soror Inimicorum 🇷🇺🇺🇸☦️ (@SororInimicorum) March 10, 2024

Israel's highest court ruled against a key amendment in January, and it has largely been postponed. Netanyahu claimed they were necessary to rebalance power between judges and elected officials. But his opponents warned that it could pave the way for authoritarian rule and that Netanyahu would use it to overturn possible corruption convictions against him.

Netanyahu received another blow this week when an investigation revealed that the prime minister "bears personal responsibility" for a stampede in northern Israel in 2021 that killed 45 Jewish pilgrims. Netanyahu's Likud party responded that the investigation was politically motivated.