By MELANIE LINDMAN, WAFAA SHURAFA, and SAMY MAGDY, Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in central Jerusalem on Sunday in the biggest anti-government protest since October. went to war Protesters called for the government to make a cease-fire deal to free dozens of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas and to have early elections.
Israeli society was largely united right after Oct. 7, when Hamas killed around 1,200 people in a cross-border attack and took 250 others hostage. Hamas has been labeled a terrorist group by the United States, Canada, and the European Union.. People flee from police during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and demand the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered outside the parliament in Jerusalem on Sunday, urging the government to reach a deal to free dozens of hostages held by Hamas and to have early elections.
Netanyahu has promised to dismantle Hamas and bring all the hostages back, but those goals have been hard to achieve. While Hamas has suffered significant losses, it remains operational.
Roughly half of the hostages in Gaza were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. But efforts by international mediators to bring home the remaining hostages have not succeeded. Talks resumed on Sunday with no indication of an imminent breakthrough.
The families of the hostages believe that time is running out, and they are expressing more dissatisfaction with Netanyahu.
“We believe that with this government, no hostages will come back because they are obstructing the negotiations for the hostages,” said Boaz Atzili, whose cousin, Aviv Atzili, and his wife, Liat, were kidnapped on Oct. 7. Liat was released but Aviv was killed, and his body is in Gaza. “Netanyahu is only working in his personal interests.”
PROTESTERS HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS
Protesters hold Netanyahu responsible for the failures of Oct. 7 and claim that the deep political divisions over his attempted judicial overhaul last year weakened Israel before the attack. Some accuse him of harming relations with the United States, Israel’s most important ally.
Netanyahu also faces a series of corruption charges that are slowly going through the courts, and critics say his decisions seem to be focused on political survival rather than the national interest. Opinion polls indicate that Netanyahu and his coalition are far behind their rivals if elections were held today.
Police forcibly remove people participating in a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and demand the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, on Sunday, March 31, 2024. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered outside the parliament in Jerusalem on Sunday, urging the government to reach a deal to free dozens of hostages held by Hamas and to have early elections.
Many families of hostages had held back from publicly criticizing Netanyahu to avoid upsetting the leadership and making the hostages’ situation a political problem. But as they get angrier, some now want to change their approach — and they played a major role in Sunday’s anti-government protest.
The crowd on Sunday spread for blocks around the Knesset, or parliament building, and organizers promised to continue the demonstration for several days. They urged the government to hold new elections nearly two years ahead of schedule. Thousands also protested Sunday in Tel Aviv, where there was a large protest the night before.
Netanyahu, in a nationally televised speech before
going through hernia surgery later Sunday, said he understood families’ pain. But he said calling new elections — in what he described as a moment before victory — would paralyze Israel for six to eight months and stall the hostage talks. For now, Netanyahu’s governing coalition appears to remain firmly intact. Some hostage families agree that now is not the time for elections.
People participate in a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas outside of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
In his Sunday address, Netanyahu also repeated his vow for a
military ground offensive in Rafah , the southern Gaza city where more than half of territory’s population of 2.3 million now shelters after fleeing fighting elsewhere. “There is no victory without going into Rafah,” he said, adding that U.S. pressure would not deter him. Israel’s military says Hamas battalions remain there.In another reminder of Israel’s divisions, a group of reservists and retired officers demonstrated in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood.
Ultra-Orthodox men for generations have received exemptions from military service, which is compulsory for most Jewish men and women. Resentment over that has deepened during the war. Netanyahu’s government has been
ordered to present a new plan for a more equitable draft law by Monday. Netanyahu, who relies heavily on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties, last week asked for an extension.
The Bank of Israel said in its annual report on Sunday that there could be economic damage if large numbers of ultra-Orthodox men continue not to serve in Israel’s military.
ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE HITS TENT CAMP AT HOSPITAL
Also Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit a tent camp in the courtyard of a crowded hospital in central Gaza, killing two Palestinians and wounding another 15, including journalists working nearby.
An Associated Press reporter filmed the strike and aftermath at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where thousands of people have sheltered. The Israeli military said it struck a command center of the Islamic Jihad militant group.
A large number of Israelis gathered outside the parliament building in Jerusalem, demanding the release of hostages held by Hamas and early elections. They also protested against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. The protest took place on Sunday, March 31, 2024, outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
Israeli soldiers
have been conducting raids on Shifa Hospital , the largest hospital in Gaza, for almost two weeks. They claim to have killed many fighters, including senior Hamas members. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that over 100 patients are without clean water and have infected wounds, while doctors use plastic bags as gloves.Near Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, a small group of Palestinian Christians gathered at the Holy Family Church to celebrate Easter. The church appeared to be unharmed by the war, with incense filling the air as they celebrated.
Winnie Tarazi, an attendee, expressed sadness at the gathering at the Holy Family Church. Around 600 people are taking shelter in the compound.
DEATH TOLL NEARS 33,000 IN GAZA AND HUNGER INCREASES
The United Nations and its partners have cautioned about the potential for a severe food shortage in northern Gaza, which is largely cut off from the outside world. Humanitarian officials state that shipments by sea and air are insufficient, and urge Israel to permit a greater amount of aid to be transported by road. Egypt claims to have thousands of trucks waiting.
famine could happen in the devastated, mostly isolated northern Gaza. Israel must permit a far larger amount of aid for deliveries to be transported by road. Egypt has stated that thousands of trucks are waiting. Israel asserts that it does not impose restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid. It has accused the U.N. and other international agencies of failing to distribute more aid.
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported on Sunday that at least 32,782 Palestinians have died since the start of the war. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but it has stated that women and children constitute around two-thirds of those killed.
states that over one-third of the dead are combatants, though it has not provided proof. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties due to the group’s presence in residential areas. Concerns about a broader conflict in the region intensified as Lebanese state media announced that an Israeli drone had targeted a vehicle in the southern Lebanese town of Konin.
According to a Lebanese security official who spoke on condition of anonymity, Hezbollah militant Ismail al-Zain was killed in the attack. Israel’s military referred to al-Zain as a significant commander, and his death was confirmed by Hezbollah.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a Palestinian assailant stabbed three people in southern Israel, causing serious injuries. The attacker was reportedly shot, but no further details about his condition were provided.
This marks the largest anti-government protest since the country entered into war in October.
Late Sunday, a Palestinian attacker stabbed three people in southern Israel, seriously wounding them, said the Hatzalah rescue service. Police said the attacker was shot, but gave no further details on his condition.
