JERUSALEM, Palestine / ISTANBUL

Dozens of Israeli left-wing activists staged a protest on Friday outside the US Embassy in West Jerusalem, calling for an immediate end to Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and voicing strong opposition to Israel’s plan to set up a “tent camp” on the ruins of Rafah city in southern Gaza.

Holding signs and beating drums, the protesters demanded a ceasefire and condemned the continued bombardment and genocide in Gaza.

In a post on X, the leftist group, Free Jerusalem, which organized the rally, said: “We are here to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza and to reject the plan for mass displacement in Rafah. No to detention camps, no to forced starvation, enough massacres, enough war.”

The protesters represent a small, limited-influence stream within Israeli society, where polls and official statements indicate the vast majority still support the offensive but link ending it to the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Free Jerusalem also called for a comprehensive prisoner exchange to secure a ceasefire and the beginning of Gaza’s reconstruction.

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz revealed details of the proposed “tent city,” described as a “humanitarian city” made up of tents on the ruins of Rafah to relocate 600,000 Palestinians after strict security screenings, with no freedom to leave afterward.

The group reaffirmed its stance against forced displacement, saying: “No to detention camps, yes to justice and freedom for Palestinians.”

Free Jerusalem has organized similar protests in recent months.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 57,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to food shortages and the spread of disease.

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.