Protest outside Netanyahu residence urging captives deal turns violent
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Photos and video from the event show activists holding lighted torches and several being arrested by police, including a scuffle.
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Settlers block a highway during a protest to demand the release of Israeli captives, in "Tel Aviv" on February 10, 2024. (AP)
Dozens of people demonstrated in occupied al-Quds outside the official Israeli Prime Minister's residence, demanding an urgent solution to free the remaining Israeli captives in still Gaza.
Jews burning the Israeli flag in Jerusalem🔥 pic.twitter.com/wd00O2x7Od
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) February 19, 2024
Photos and video from the event show activists holding lighted torches and several being arrested by police, including a scuffle, The Times of Israel reported.
Many protesters marched from near the Knesset to al-Quds central square.
Police made no immediate remark on arrests or disobedience at the event. According to Ynet, several demonstrators used a smoke grenade.
According to the Israeli Kan channel, police forces are attempting to disperse demonstrators in a protest they described as "stormy" and practically wrestling with them.
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.
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.
⚡ 🇮🇱Trouble in Paradise
— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) February 17, 2024
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
Thousands of settlers on 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 on the 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 toward 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.
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.
