TEL AVIV: Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday, demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza.
The demonstration came a day after the Israeli government announced plans to expand military operations and capture Gaza City.
Protesters carried signs and photos of hostages still held in Gaza, urging authorities to secure their release.
AFP journalists estimated tens of thousands attended, while hostage families’ representatives claimed up to 100,000 joined.
The rally far surpassed recent anti-war protests in size, though no official crowd estimate was provided.
“If you invade Gaza and hostages die, we will pursue you everywhere,“ said Shahar Mor Zahiro, a relative of a slain hostage.
Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved the Gaza City operation on Friday, drawing sharp criticism domestically and internationally.
Allies and foreign powers have pushed for a ceasefire to free hostages and ease Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Despite backlash and reported military dissent, Netanyahu remained defiant in a late Friday social media post.
“We are not occupying Gaza—we are freeing it from Hamas,“ he wrote.
The prime minister has faced regular protests over his handling of the 22-month war.
Many rallies have called for a deal, referencing past truces that exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Of 251 hostages taken in Hamas’s 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza, with 27 confirmed dead by the military.
The Palestinian Authority condemned Israel’s expansion plans as “a new crime” in a Saturday statement.
PA President Mahmud Abbas urged immediate action to stop the operation via the official Wafa news agency.
He stressed the need for Palestinian governance in Gaza, where the PA currently holds no authority.
Israel’s security cabinet also outlined post-war principles excluding both Hamas and the PA from Gaza’s administration.
A joint statement from Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the UK criticised the Gaza City plan.
They warned it would worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, endanger hostages, and risk mass civilian displacement.
Russia also condemned the operation, citing risks of deepening Gaza’s “humanitarian disaster.”
Gaza’s civil defence reported at least 37 deaths from Israeli strikes on Saturday, including 30 civilians awaiting aid.
The health ministry reports over 61,000 Palestinian deaths, with UN verification of the figures.
Hamas’s 2023 attack killed 1,219 people in Israel, according to AFP’s tally of official data. – AFP