Tens of thousands rally in Israel calling for hostage release deal

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Tens of thousands of people have rallied across Israel after the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip were recovered by soldiers, causing national outrage, the BBC reports.

Protesters - many clad in Israeli flags - descended on Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities, accusing PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of not doing enough to reach a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during the 7 October attacks.

Sunday's protests were largely peaceful - but crowds broke through police lines, blocking a major highway in Tel Aviv.

This comes as a major Israeli labour union, Histadrut, called for a nationwide general strike on Monday, pressing for a hostage deal.

Crowds accused the government and Netanyahu personally of failing to save the remaining hostages.

In Tel Aviv, protesters broke through police lines on to Ayalon Highway late on Sunday.

Some people scaled buses and bins to gain a vantage point over the march, while others surrounded someone wearing a mask of Netanyahu, chanting: “Alive, alive, we want them alive.”

One demonstrator held a sign which read: "You are the head. You are to blame".

Crowds also chanted slogans including "policemen, policemen who are you protecting" and "shame, shame".

Some set fires on the road and draped yellow ribbons - a symbol of solidarity with the hostages.

Naama Lazimi, a Labor Party lawmaker, told the BBC she was lightly injured after police let off stun grenades and she fell down.

She described the protests as “significant and important”. but said the “question is what happens tomorrow”.