Thousands of Israelis rally in Tel Aviv to demand return of hostages

​​JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday in central Tel Aviv to demand the return of hostages in the Gaza Strip, even at the cost of ending the war in the enclave.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said thousands gathered in Hostages Square, including hundreds of family members of the captives.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, reaffirmed Saturday that he would not end the 19-month war until “Hamas's civil and military capabilities are fully eliminated.”

In a pre-recorded video message, Netanyahu also referenced the establishment of so-called "security zones" in Lebanon and Syria, in violation of the sovereignty of both countries.

"Hamas rejected a proposal to release half of the living hostages and many of the bodies of the deceased, demanding an end to the war -- this is unacceptable," he said.

Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil Al-Hayya, announced late Thursday the group’s readiness to immediately begin “comprehensive package negotiations” with Tel Aviv to release all of the hostages in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners, a cessation of the war, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the start of reconstruction and the lifting of the blockade.

Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s “full commitment” to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, as nuclear negotiations continued in Rome between the US and Iran.

More than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November 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.