Thousands protested Saturday in Israel against the current government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding a hostage swap deal with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, according to media reports.
“Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in several areas across the country to demand early elections and the conclusion of a hostage swap deal,” said the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
The central demonstration at the Kaplan Junction in central Tel Aviv demanded a hostage swap, it said.
Hundreds also demonstrated near Netanyahu's residence in West Jerusalem, demanding accountability and his resignation, added Yedioth Ahronoth.
In Haifa, “about 8,000 people demonstrated at the Horev Junction in the city center, chanting slogans against the government.”
Protests across the country are expected to pick up in the coming hours, according to media reports.
Qatar, Egypt, and the US are trying to reach a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire in Gaza, as the first pause lasted one week in November, which resulted in limited aid entering Gaza, as well as exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners -- mostly women and children detained in Israeli jails.
Tel Aviv holds at least 9,100 Palestinian prisoners in its jails, while there are an estimated 134 Israeli hostages in Gaza. Hamas has announced the death of 70 in random Israeli airstrikes.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack in early October by Hamas killed less than 1,200 people.
More than 33,100 Palestinians have since been killed and over 75,800 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which last week asked it to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.
