Thousands of Israelis demonstrate nationwide to demand prisoner swap deal

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Thousands of Israelis staged demonstrations Saturday in several cities, calling for a deal to free captives held in Gaza and for an end to the ongoing war.
According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, protesters gathered in central squares and intersections across the country, including Paris Square in Jerusalem, Horev Center in Haifa, Beersheba in the south, and Nahariya in the north.

The main rallies took place outside the Defense Ministry headquarters and Habima Square on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Street.

Family members of captives addressed the crowds in each location, urging the government to strike a swap deal with Hamas.

The Israeli opposition and relatives of captives accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of blocking negotiations for political reasons, saying he is prioritizing the survival of his governing coalition over reaching an agreement.

Israel estimates that around 50 captives remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. At the same time, more than 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where rights groups report widespread torture, starvation and medical neglect that has claimed many lives.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal war in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, killing 61,900 Palestinians.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for 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.