Thousands of Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand release of hostages in Gaza

Thousands of Israelis protested across the country on Saturday, expressing outrage at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's failure to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and urging Tel Aviv to secure freedom for their loved ones, even if it required ending the war in the Strip.

Thousands of Israelis protested in several areas nationwide, calling for the release of those held in Gaza, even at the cost of ending the war, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

According to the newspaper, the hostages' families participated in the central demonstration in Tel Aviv.

Similar protests were held in other areas across the country, including Rehovot (central), Haifa, and the Karkur Junction (north).

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.