On Saturday night, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv to express their support for the decision to release Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The crowd was loud and critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for new elections during the protest. Banners with slogans such as “Negotiate now, resign later” were displayed throughout the demonstration.
One father of an Israeli hostage expressed his frustration with the government’s handling of the situation, stating that their personal survival seemed to be more important than that of the hostages. He urged the government to agree to a ceasefire in exchange for the release of the prisoners.
Israeli news channel Khan reported that Israel would not be sending a negotiating team to Cairo at that time. Instead, it stated that a delegation would only be sent to Egypt once Hamas responded to the agreement proposal. The brother of one of the hostages warned that an Israeli offensive in Rafah could have deadly consequences for the prisoners.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called on the government to take action and send a negotiating team to Cairo, emphasizing the importance of reaching an agreement and bringing the hostages home. During the protest, Netanyahu was singled out as unfit to remain prime minister due to his handling of this situation, with critics claiming he had blood on his hands.