Demonstrations of anger sweep the streets of Israel demanding the release of prisoners in Gaza
On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated across Israel to demand the release of prisoners detained in Gaza and the holding of early elections.
The Israeli official Broadcasting Corporation said that tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in Kaplan Square in central Tel Aviv to demonstrate, demanding the conclusion of a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian factions in Gaza, and the holding of early elections.
Thousands of others also demonstrated on Begin Street in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv.
The families of the prisoners detained in Gaza participated in the demonstrations in Kaplan Square and in front of the Ministry of Defense, and gave several speeches to the demonstrators, according to the Commission.
Thousands of Israelis also demonstrated in front of the home of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, in the western city of Jerusalem, and demanded the return of detainees in Gaza and the holding of early elections, according to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.
Thousands of others also demonstrated in front of the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the city of Caesarea, and thousands more in the city of Haifa.
The pace of demonstrations is increasing in Israel, hours after the Qassam Brigades showed a video showing two Israeli prisoners demanding the Netanyahu government to release them, saying that they are living in difficult conditions under Israeli bombing.
The families called on members of the government to release the prisoners detained in Gaza, even if the price was ending the war.
For months, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been leading indirect negotiations between Israel and the Hamas movement, but they didn’t result in reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip or an exchange of prisoners and detainees between the two sides.
