Thousands of Israelis Protest, Demanding Prisoner Swap Deal with Gaza
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Thousands of Israelis staged protests across the occupied territories on Saturday, calling for a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, demonstrators blocked a section of the Ayalon Highway, according to the broadcasting authority KAN.
The Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that protests also took place in central Haifa, at the Karkur Junction near Haifa, and in Rehovot.
"Dozens of demonstrators blocked a major road at the Karkur Junction, while others closed a crossroads in Rehovot," the report said.
For months, there have been efforts to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas to facilitate a prisoner exchange, establish a ceasefire, and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, these efforts have stalled due to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to meet Hamas' demands to halt the war.
Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel has continued its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The ongoing onslaught has led to nearly 40,700 Palestinian deaths, primarily women and children, and over 94,000 injuries, according to local health authorities.
The blockade of Gaza has caused severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region devastated.
Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.
