Israeli police fired water cannons at crowds of protesters demanding a deal to free the remaining hostages in Gaza and arrested 38 people “for acts including disturbing public order and endangering public safety,” a police spokesperson told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Many Israelis have grown increasingly critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s handling of the more than 22-month war in Gaza, as hostages remain captive and calls mount for their release and a ceasefire deal with Hamas. Meanwhile, those in Netanyahu’s Cabinet have called for a more aggressive military offensive in Gaza.
Netanyahu has vowed to take Gaza City by force, a stance that has divided Israelis who fear further military action could endanger the hostages’ survival.
What To Know
On Sunday, relatives and friends of hostages taken by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, on October 7, 2023, called a nationwide strike. Around 25 hostages are believed be alive in Gaza. The protests took place across Israel, some outside of politician’s homes, military bases, and highways.
The Israel police spokesperson told Newsweek in an email statement Sunday that “actions such as setting fires and blocking major roads are violations of the law. The Israel Police will act decisively against such behavior while ensuring that all citizens may exercise their rights safely and within the law.”
Police also shared with Newsweek a video showing hundreds of protesters sitting in public spaces, followed by a water cannon spraying demonstrators blocking a road. Local news outlets also posted videos of protesters blocking Tel Aviv’s Ayalon Highway.
Some protestors were spotted with signs seeking to end the war in Gaza.
What People Are Saying
Former hostage Arbel Yehoud said during a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Sunday: “The only way to bring (hostages) back is through a deal, all at once, without games.”
Hostages Families Forum said on Sunday: “There is no time – not for the lives wasting away in hell, nor for the fallen who may vanish in the ruins of Gaza.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday said the demonstrations were: “A bad and harmful campaign that plays into Hamas’ hands, buries the hostages in the tunnels and attempts to get Israel to surrender to its enemies and jeopardize its security and future.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Cabinet on Sunday: “Those who call today for an end to the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas’ position and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of October 7 will repeat themselves over and over again.”
What Happens Next?
The strike affecting several businesses is set to continue through Sunday.
Hamas and Israel have made no progress on a cease-fire or hostage exchange, while Israel has pressed ahead with operations to seize Gaza City.
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