Protesters in Tel Aviv demand hostage swap, call for Netanyahu's ouster

Anti-government sentiments surged through the streets of Tel Aviv as protesters voiced their demands for a hostage swap deal with Hamas and the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by calls for early elections, The Times of Israel reported.

Organisers claim that Saturday's demonstration marked the largest gathering since October 7, estimating a turnout of 120,000 individuals in Tel Aviv alone, although this figure remains unverified.

Similar protests unfolded across various locations nationwide, with Tel Aviv's Begin Street witnessing impassioned speeches, including one from Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker. Alongside other hostage families, she cautioned against Netanyahu's potential obstruction of a proposed deal, following revelations from US President Joe Biden regarding an Israeli proposal, as reported by The Times of Israel.

"[Biden] spoke because he knows that Netanyahu may torpedo this deal as well," she said. "Biden wanted the public to know what was really on the table."

Protests at Democracy Square, the intersection of Begin Road and Kaplan Street, have become a fixture since the inception of the anti-judicial overhaul movement last January. However, they experienced a temporary hiatus after the Hamas terror attack on October 7, which resulted in significant casualties and abductions.

In Jerusalem, thousands marched towards the President's Residence, initially planned as an anti-government rally but redirected towards securing a hostage deal following Biden's intervention. Chants reverberated through the city streets, demanding the safe return of hostages and expressing gratitude towards Biden for his efforts to end the conflict.

"He who abandons must return [the hostages]," protesters chanted, while many held signs thanking Biden for his statement urging an end to the war. Yellow flags, symbolic of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, waved prominently.

Despite its original focus on the forthcoming Jerusalem Day holiday, the march assumed new significance amid ongoing negotiations for a potential deal. Although the Jerusalem branch of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum distanced itself from the event, several hostage relatives took charge of the procession.

Meanwhile, a joint statement from Qatar, the United States, and Egypt urged Israel and Hamas to embrace the proposed ceasefire and hostage release deal outlined by Biden.

"Qatar, the United States and Egypt jointly call on both Hamas and Israel to finalise the agreement embodying the principles outlined by President Biden on May 31, 2024," the statement reads.

"These principles brought the demands of all parties together in a deal that serves multiple interests and will bring immediate relief to both the long-suffering people of Gaza as well as the long-suffering hostages and their families.

"This deal offers a roadmap for a permanent ceasefire and ending the crisis," the statement adds, The Times of Israel reported.