Thousands of Israelis rally across country for prisoner swap, Gaza ceasefire

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday in multiple cities, demanding a prisoner exchange deal with Palestinian resistance factions that would secure the release of their relatives held in Gaza.

Israeli Army Radio said the main rally took place in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, with families of captives participating. Thousands more joined protests in Jerusalem, Haifa, and other cities.

In Kfar Saba, central Israel, protesters blocked a main road as part of efforts to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government into reaching a deal, according to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Israel estimates that 48 Israeli hostages are currently in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 11,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, many suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, with numerous deaths reported, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Earlier Saturday, families of Israeli captives accused Netanyahu of sacrificing their loved ones’ lives to preserve his political power.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army said it launched a wide ground operation in Gaza City involving regular and reserve troops from three divisions.

The offensive, named “Gideon’s Chariots 2,” began Aug. 11 in the southeastern Zeitoun neighborhood and has included house demolitions with rigged robots, artillery fire, random gunfire, and forced displacement.

Witnesses told Anadolu that heavy Israeli vehicles, including tanks, advanced into new areas of northwestern Gaza City late Wednesday.

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir Tuesday called the Gaza City offensive “vital” to recovering captives, despite earlier warnings that such escalations endangered their lives.

On Saturday, Hamas’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, released a “farewell photo” showing 47 Israeli captives, blaming Netanyahu and Zamir’s stance for their fate.

The image was accompanied by a caption in Arabic and Hebrew saying: “Because of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s intransigence and (Chief of General Staff Eyal) Zamir’s submission, this is a farewell photo at the beginning of the operation in Gaza.”

Hamas published the picture on its official website, underscoring its position that the fate of the captives lies with the political decisions of Israel’s leadership.

Hamas has repeatedly declared its readiness to conclude a comprehensive deal with Israel to release all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, end the war on Gaza, and ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

However, Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected such proposals, insisting instead on partial arrangements that would allow him to delay and impose new conditions at each stage of negotiations.

On Sept. 9, Israel attacked a residential compound in Doha, killing five Hamas leaders as they were discussing a US proposal to end the war in Gaza, where over 65,200 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.