The Israeli army’s recent discovery of six dead Israeli hostages in tunnels in Rafah, southern Gaza, has sparked massive protests across Israel. The hostages were reportedly killed by Hamas, although Hamas denies the claim, blaming Israeli airstrikes instead. The protests, some of the largest since October 7, demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accept a ceasefire deal with Hamas to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
Grief and anger overflowed onto the streets as hundreds of thousands of Israelis, alongside hostage families, called for peace. A rare general strike was led by Histadrut across Israel, and thousands gathered at the funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the deceased hostages.
Despite the calls for a ceasefire, Netanyahu rejected the terms of a deal that would remove Israeli troops from Gaza. The protests, while impactful, may not be enough to sway Netanyahu from his stance on the conflict. The role of the international community, particularly the United States, has been highlighted as crucial in achieving a peaceful resolution to the ongoing violence.
