Thousands of Israelis demonstrate in Tel Aviv to demand approval of the proposal to release the hostages
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand acceptance of the ceasefire and hostage release proposal announced by US President Joe Biden on Friday, with many fearing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will reject it.
Demonstrators waved Israeli and US flags in the central square, dubbed “Hostages Square,” along with banners reading “Bring them home!”
Biden announced Friday that Israel had presented a new road map toward a three-stage lasting peace in Gaza to achieve a full ceasefire and free hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
From his part, Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu stressed on Saturday Israel’s commitment to eliminating Hamas before any permanent ceasefire, noting that this condition was included in the proposal for Israel announced by US President Joe Biden.
“Israel’s conditions for ending the war haven’t changed: eliminating Hamas’s military capabilities and governance, freeing all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel,” he said in a statement.
For its part, the Palestinian movement said Friday night that it views positively the contents of the US president’s speech his call for a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, reconstruction and the exchange of prisoners.
