Tens of thousands of Israelis surged into the streets Sunday night after six more hostages were found dead in Gaza, chanting “Now! Now!” as they demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cave to Hamas demands to bring the remaining captives home.
The mass outpouring appeared to be the largest such demonstration in 11 months of war and protesters said it felt like a possible turning point, although the country is deeply divided.
Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, further pressured the government by calling a general strike for Monday, the first since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that started the war. It aims to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking, health care and the country’s main airport – although the airport has not confirmed that it will go along with the strike.
Thousands of people gathered Sunday night outside Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem. In Tel Aviv, hostages’ relatives marched with coffins to symbolize the toll.
“We really think that the government is making these decisions for its own conservation and not for the lives of the hostages, and we need to tell them, ‘Stop!’” said Shlomit Hacohen, a Tel Aviv resident.
“Nothing is worse than knowing that they could have been saved,” said Dana Loutaly. “Sometimes it takes something so awful to shake people up and get them out into the streets.”
Top security officials say the intense pressure on Hamas has created favorable conditions for a cease-fire deal. The army, noting the difficulty of rescue operations, has acknowledged that a deal is the only way to bring home large numbers of hostages safely.
But critics have accused the prime minister of putting his personal interests over those of the hostages. The war’s end likely will lead to an investigation into his government’s failures in the Oct. 7 attacks, the government’s collapse and early elections.
Some analysts said the public outcry over the six hostages who died could signal a new level of political pressure on Netanyahu.
“I think this is an earthquake. This isn’t just one more step in the war,” said Nomi Bar-Yaacov, associate fellow in the International Security Program at Chatham House, shortly before Sunday’s protests.
Divisions also have been exposed within the government. Senior military and security officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, have warned that time is running out.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu got into a shouting match at a security Cabinet meeting Thursday with Gallant, who accused him of prioritizing control of a strategic corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border — a major sticking point in the talks — over the lives of the hostages.
“In the name of the state of Israel, I hold their families close to my heart and ask forgiveness,” Gallant said Sunday. The Cabinet was meeting Sunday night.
A forum of hostage families has demanded a “complete halt of the country” to push for a cease-fire and hostage release.
Even a mass outpouring of anger would not immediately threaten Netanyahu or his far right government. He still controls a majority in parliament. But he has caved in to public pressure before. A general strike last year helped lead to a delay in his controversial judicial overhaul.
(AP)
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8 Responses
These people are such fools. This is exactly what Sinwar wants right now. He murdered the six hostages so he and his animal cohorts can survive and rebuild. Then they can, chalila, repeat what they did on October 7, as they pledged to do. He can certainly count on Israel’s ultra left wing to do his work. If some of these lunatics had only protested when Sharon uprooted Jewish settlements in Gaza, we probably wouldn’t be dealing with this today.
I’m genuinely interested to get more info. Is there any clear evidence that the govt is deliberately not trying to rescue the hostages? Not speculation, not emotional anger, real clear proof…?
It is insane to suggest that anyone is trying to achieve political gain by sacrificing hostage’s lives. The perpetrators of the dastardly deeds of kidnapping, rape and burning civilians alive are the sole perpetrators – they have trespassed the basic definition of humanity – the requirement to abide by the 7 Noachide laws. UN Secretary General Guterres finally after almost a year appropriately now finally insists on UNCONDITIONAL release of the hostages – NO NEED TO CONCEDE ANYTHING AT ALL. This is the definition of what should be the attitude of anyone who is a normal human being. If all of humanity screamed this aloud, it would happen. Nobody wants war in any country where there is respect life and no territorial ambitions. The society who taught mankind ( in the Old Testament) that all people are made in essence in the ‘ image of G-d’ , in the image of the Divine, truly wants to see only good for all of humanity.
VICTORY FOR HAMAS!
Hamas would like to thank the leftist anti-government for their ongoing steady and loyal support to destroy the Zionist regime. In particular they are grateful for:
a) to stage large scale protests and creating an unprecedented division in Israel, which helped and encouraged Hamas to stage the fateful Simchas Torah massacre
b) that some leftist army pilots striked on that day causing a delay in air response helping hamas to finish the job
c) pressuring the Israeli government to lower their demands, so Hamas can increase theirs
d) to shut down the country and adding more financial loss and inconvenience to what the country is already enduring due to the longest war in its history
This is obviously on top of all their constant besmirching in the international arena in support of the terrorists.
How stupid and selfish can people get?!
Previous hostage deals like the one with Gilad Shalit where Sinwar was released set the stage for the Oct 7th atrocities.
These mindless protesters don’t care about the future and the consequences of a cease fire at at any cost deal.
Sickos, they only help Hamas.
@Uncle Ben; while I appreciate there are different opinions [also in the Torah world] about what we should offer in exchange for the hostages, and in particular we shouldn’t dismiss the emotional pain of their relatives, public protests has and will achieve the opposite: Hamas sees the pressure on the Israeli government so they will increase their demands.
I believe, if not for the weekly public protests, Hamas would have long accepted a deal and returned the hostages. While some honestly, just want the hostages to come home, many if not most want to topple the government and don’t care about the hostages.
I understand that Hamas wasn’t even going to release all the hostages while israel complies with all their demands, so what will make them release the rest in phase 2, no prisoners left, ceasefire etc .I think left wing don’t care about the hostages, their focus is to get rid of Netanyahu. As one parent announced, if her child hostage gets killed its Netanyahus fault. What better news is tht for Hamas.. mind-boggling how Israel puts up with this erev rav.