Hundreds rally in central Israel demanding early elections

JERUSALEM

Hundreds of protesters in central Israel demanded early elections Saturday and the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to a media report.

“Hundreds demonstrated at the intersection of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, demanding progress towards elections and the release of hostages,” said Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.

Former Chief of Staff and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon joined the demonstration, and is expected to later address protesters, it said.

Israel is expected to witness massive protests later Saturday in Tel Aviv and 55 locations across the country, according to the Israel Hayom newspaper.

“The Election Now” protest will kick off tonight at 19:30 (1620GMT) at the Azrieli Interchange in Tel Aviv, it said.

"At the same time, protests will be held in about 55 locations across the country demanding a return of authority to the people and setting a date for elections,” added Israel Hayom.

Protests will be held in the West Bank in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence and his private residence in Caesarea, where he spends his Saturday vacation. A march will also take place in Haifa, according to the daily.

Meanwhile, the "Liberals in Our Land" movement, one of the protest organizers, said that “life has returned to routine in Gaza, while 133 hostages are still dying in Hamas tunnels.”

"We have lost the north (on the border with Lebanon), and the catastrophic government has no strategy, and its members shamefully cling to power,” the movement said.

It considered that “the loss of Israeli deterrence requires the urgent replacement of the government.”

Israel has been witnessing almost daily popular protests demanding Netanyahu expedite reaching an agreement with Palestinian factions in Gaza and hold early elections.

Hamas accuses Netanyahu of “stubbornness” and not wanting to conclude an agreement. The group has insisted on ending the war in Gaza, withdrawing the Israeli army, allowing the displaced to return and ensuring sufficient aid enters the Strip.

Flouting the International Court of Justice’s provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 34,049 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 76,901 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala