Israelis rally near Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv calling for prisoner swap deal

JERUSALEM

Hundreds of Israelis on Thursday evening organized a protest near the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, demanding an immediate prisoner swap deal with the Hamas group.

According to the Israel Hayom news website, the protesters blocked the Begin Road near the ministry to pressure the Israeli government to reach a deal that secures the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza.

The Israeli war Cabinet is expected to hold a meeting this evening to discuss a possible cease-fire and prisoner swap deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing mounting pressure from the hostages’ families and the opposition to reach a swap deal with Hamas.

The Palestinian group, which is believed to be holding around 133 hostages, demands an end to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip in return for any hostage-prisoner swap deal with Tel Aviv.

Nearly 34,000 Palestinians have been killed and 76,800 others injured in the Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7, 2023, amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel says nearly 1,200 people have been killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

A previous 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 pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar