Israeli protesters have shut down streets in Tel Aviv demanding the release of hostages and the political end of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Anger has been growing inside Israel as the Gaza war drags on for more than 200 days.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

Thousands of Israeli protesters have taken to the streets of Tel Aviv, expressing their dissatisfaction with the current government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The protests, which have become a weekly occurrence, draw participants from across the nation who are unified by the ongoing issue of the 130 hostages still being held in Gaza. As the Gaza war extends over 200 days, the public's frustration with the Netanyahu administration's handling of the situation is increasingly palpable.

The protesters' demands are twofold: they are calling for the release of the hostages and for the resignation of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Many express a lack of trust in the government's capabilities to effectuate a deal for the hostages' return, criticizing what they perceive as Netanyahu's prioritization of revenge over diplomacy. The overarching sentiment among the demonstrators is a desire for change, underscored by their conviction that the current leadership is failing to do everything possible to secure the hostages' freedom.

Central to the protesters' grievances is the belief that stopping the war and establishing a lasting ceasefire is the only viable path to securing the hostages' return. Calls for Netanyahu and specific cabinet members to resign echo through the gatherings, as participants argue that new leadership is necessary to advance negotiations for the hostages' release. Despite these calls, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear that he does not intend to resign or call for early elections. Nonetheless, demonstrators persist, vowing to continue their protests until their demands are met, signaling a deep-seated resolve within the Israeli public for governmental change and the safe return of the hostages.



Thousands block Tel Aviv streets in protest

Every week thousands of Israelis come from across the country to gather here on the streets of central Tel Aviv protesting against the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The reasons for being here are varied but the one thing that threads this whole community together is the 130 odd hostages that are still being held captive inside of Gaza. And they say they are angry and frustrated at the actions of the Netanyahu government and what they say has been an inability to negotiate a deal to get those hostages out. Some of them say that Mr Netanyahu has put revenge before a diplomatic attempt to get these hostages back into Israel. We want our hostages to come home and we don't have trust or faith in this government and what it's been doing for a long time but it's now, we have to have the change. What is it you think that they haven't done right? I think the problem is that we don't know and I don't trust Mr Netanyahu and the other people in the government to be, not all of them, but to be doing as much as they can to bring the hostages home. I particularly feel awful because of these 133 hostages that are being kept there with no obvious attempt by my government to release them. We are really angry at the government for irresponsible, slightly crazy I would say, leadership. It is obvious that the only way to do it is to stop the war, to have a lasting ceasefire. This will bring, in exchange of course, of bringing the hostages. You hear the protests here, they're saying elections now. They want Benjamin Netanyahu and certain members of his cabinet to resign. They say that is the only way they feel that they will be able to push ahead with actually securing a deal to get the hostages back into Israel. That's not a position that the Prime Minister is entertaining. He says he will not resign, there will not be early elections, although you can feel from the crowds here there's passion and anger. They say they will continue to come out here every week until they get what they want.

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Israel-Gaza War