Israelis demonstrate to demand prisoner swap deal with Hamas

Israelis staged rallies across Israel on Wednesday to demand an immediate deal for releasing hostages held by Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to The Times of Israel newspaper, protesters from women's groups blocked several junctions and streets across Israel to press for a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.

Other Israelis, meanwhile, demonstrated against the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Protesters argued that humanitarian aid should not be allowed until the hostages held by Hamas are freed.

Hamas is believed to be holding nearly 136 hostages following its Oct. 7 attack into Israel.

Israel has since launched a deadly offensive against the Gaza Strip, killing at least 25,700 Palestinians and injuring 63,740 others. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

Mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the US have so far failed to secure the release of another group of hostages as Hamas demands an end to Israel's deadly offensive against Gaza.

A deal in November saw the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.

The Israeli war has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.