Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Aoun, in a meeting with a US delegation: We stress the importance of renewing UNIFIL's mandate until Resolution 1701 is implemented
Aoun, in a meeting with a US delegation: We await the Israeli response to the joint proposals document that US envoy Tom Barrack will bring along
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, in a meeting with a US delegation: We were not informed of circulated news about 'Israel's' intention to establish a buffer zone in southern Lebanon
The Israeli occupation targets Deir Keefa in South Lebanon with 2 surface-to-surface missiles
Philippe Lazzarini: The famine in Gaza is a direct result of banning food and other basic supplies for months including from UNRWA .
Philippe Lazzarini: The spread of famine can still be controlled by a ceasefire and allowing humanitarian organizations to do their work and reach starving people with aid.
The United Nations on the Israeli-induced famine in Gaza: The starvation of civilians for military objectives is a war crime.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini: famine is now confirmed in Gaza city. This is starvation by design and manmade by the Government of Israel.
More than 30 people have been martyred in Gaza since Friday dawn in Israeli bombardment targeting refugee camps throughout the blockaded strip.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Israeli occupation forces are carrying out demolitions of residential buildings in Gaza's al-Tuffah neighborhood amid intensifying airstrikes.

Israelis protest against Netanyahu cabinet over prisoner swap deal

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Feb 2024 23:57
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Thousands of Israeli settlers rallied in "Tel Aviv" and occupied al-Quds demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.

  • x
  • Demonstrators protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call for new elections in the latest weekly protest against his handling of the war on Gaza, in 'Tel Aviv', occupied Palestine, Feb. 17, 2024 (AP)
    Demonstrators protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and call for new elections in the latest weekly protest against his handling of the war on Gaza, in 'Tel Aviv', occupied Palestine, Feb. 17, 2024 (AP)

Thousands of Israeli settlers took to the streets on Saturday in both "Tel Aviv" and occupied al-Quds demanding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a prisoner swap agreement with the Hamas Resistance movement and hold snap parliamentary elections at once.

⚡ 🇮🇱Trouble in Paradise

Huge protest in Tel Aviv demanding Netanyahu's resignation and hostage deal.

Netanyahu avoids making an agreement and is preparing for an invasion of Rafah, where there are 1.2 million refugees.

The actions of the Israeli military have already led… pic.twitter.com/n8zxZ2FN1W

— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) February 17, 2024

The Israeli protests, which have been taking place since the start of the war on Gaza, are calling for an early election as Netanyahu's unpopularity skyrockets due to his neglect of the Israeli settlers taken captive by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza during October 7's Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

Thousands of settlers last Saturday took part in similar demonstrations in "Tel Aviv" and Haifa, calling for Netanyahu's resignation and for new elections to be held. They also called for leadership to negotiate a potential prisoner swap agreement with the Palestinian resistance.

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that approximately 3,000 people are demonstrating at the "Horev" intersection in Haifa. Demonstrators were seen marching towards the intersection, carrying banners reading "Elections Now".

Israeli news sources further reported that activists and relatives of captives "blocked the Ayalon road and set fire to it."

Cabinet under pressure

Pressure from the families of captives on Netanyahu's administration has been mounting as they aim to push for negotiations for a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, especially after some of them were killed due to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

Related News

Oscar winner Javier Bardem slams IOF over Palestinian 'dehumanization'

Gaza reports 61 martyrs, 308 wounded in 24 hours

On Friday, captives' families requested an urgent meeting with Netanyahu and the war cabinet to learn what would become of their relatives in Gaza and the future of negotiations with Hamas.

Despite these calls from Israelis, Netanyahu is insistent on "absolute victory" in Gaza. Netanyahu said earlier in February that the objective of the war on Gaza was "absolute victory," and pointed out that this cannot be achieved without defeating the Resistance militarily, announcing that the next stage of the invasion would target the southernmost city of Rafah.

Meanwhile, Aviva Seigel, who was released in November in a prisoner exchange deal imposed by the Palestinian Resistance, said that if the captives are "saved" then "we'll have saved the State of Israel and that will be absolute victory."

No goals achieved

Over 120 days into the war, the occupation's military is yet to achieve any of its main declared objectives, primarily "eradicating the Resistance" and "releasing the hostages."

On the other hand, the Resistance maintains its strong presence in several fields, as it has been able to stick to its original demands for a prisoner exchange deal and even add further clauses in a recent response.

Addressing Netanyahu, Adina Moshe, an Israeli settler, said she is afraid that in case Netanyahu continued "along this path… there won’t be any more hostages to release."

Another settler, Nili Margalit, voiced an even deeper concern. She considered that "millions of Israelis and Jews are waiting for six people to make this decision," referring to the war cabinet, warning that if the captives are not returned; "everyone will know that they are next in line, that we live in a country that doesn’t worry about our safety, that doesn’t protect its citizens."

In his press conference, the Prime Minister said that reaching "victory" in Gaza will require "months" and not years, and this can be accomplished with the "military collapse [of Resistance Hamas]. There will not be a civilian collapse [of Gaza government] without a military one."

Sahar Calderon used even sharper words to describe the situation Israelis are now facing due to the war trajectory their government is pushing for.

Being a former captive herself and the daughter of an Israeli still held by the Resistance in Gaza, Calderon slammed the government for "abandoning many people," accusing it of not knowing what Israelis still in captivity are going through.

She pleaded that Netanyahu's war cabinet not "relegate the hostages to a coffin [...] Don’t let me lose my faith in you a second time."

  • Israel
  • Palestine
  • Hamas
  • Gaza
  • Gaza Strip
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Tel Aviv
  • Al-Quds
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Those in Occupied Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria – directly affected by Israeli occupation and apartheid – can claim their right to armed struggle under a series of UN resolutions. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Resistance and regime change in occupied Palestine

  • Opinion
  • 17 Aug 2025
Palestine will not be liberated by UN reports, but by pursuing a different strategic horizon: one that does not beg for recognition. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Economy of Genocide: Albanese's report accuses, but doesn't dismantle system

  • Opinion
  • 18 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Travelers arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, a day after the announcement of a ceasefire between "Israel" and Iran, near Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli military to arrest draft evaders during September holidays

A US Air Force CV-22 in its turboprop aircraft configuration, photo undated (US Air Force)
US & Canada

US Air Force base linked to toxic PFAS in blood, water, and farms

US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after their meeting in Tel Aviv on October 12 2023 (Jacquelyn Martin/AFP via Getty Images)
Palestine

US knew Israeli aggression on Gaza aimed to last decades: Former spox

Palestinian flags flutter in the wind on Dam Square with the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in the background (Paleis op de Dam), in Amsterdam, on November 15, 2024. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP)
Europe

Dutch MPs reject recognition of Palestine, measures against 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS