Israeli protesters have once again taken to the streets in several cities, including Tel Aviv and al-Quds, to express their anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for resuming the war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
The protesters chanted slogans against Netanyahu and his ruling coalition on Wednesday, accusing them of sacrificing the remaining Israeli prisoners with a new wave of airstrikes instead of engaging Hamas in the second stage of ceasefire negotiations.
The resumption of war has further demonstrated that Netanyahu “doesn’t care about the prisoners” in Gaza, who were due to be freed under the ceasefire deal. One protester carried a banner outside the Knesset reading, “The future of the coalition or the future of Israel.”
The Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that police clashed with protesters in al-Quds, with video clips showing officers dragging and beating some of them.
Groups representing prisoners currently or formerly held in Gaza issued statements calling for an immediate ceasefire deal and accusing Netanyahu of using the conflict to maintain his grip on power.
“The reality is that this attack [on Gaza] is being used as a tool for political interests,” said Ora Peled Nakash, a former naval officer and one of the organizers of the protests.
Netanyahu has long been accused of prioritizing his ruling coalition over the lives of Israeli prisoners.
Anger escalated after the Israeli military bombarded Gaza on Tuesday night, killing more than 400 Palestinians, many of them children. This was one of the deadliest attacks since the regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
Netanyahu described the strikes as “just the beginning,” repeating his intent to destroy Hamas and rescue the remaining Israeli prisoners.
However, many Israelis believe Netanyahu’s war is aimed at keeping himself in power amid his ongoing corruption trials.
“Netanyahu wants to escape justice. This is the only reason we are facing the regime coup and this bloody war. This is a dangerous mixture,” said Elias Shraga, an activist, during a rally outside the Knesset.
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