On the evening of February 3, local time, thousands of people took to the streets in many parts of Israel to demand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu** and hold new elections. The demonstrations spread from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to Haifa and Caesarea in the north and Beersheba in the south.
It was the 17th rally of a group called the Hostage and Families of Missing Persons, which had been followed by demonstrations held in Tel Aviv's Habima Square every week to demand Israel's release of hostages trapped in Gaza.
But the difference is that in the past, in the demonstrations, the organizers and the speakers clearly distinguished their rallies from the events held elsewhere at the same time, centering on the recovery of hostages. And now, more and more people are starting to blame Netanyahu for his **Indifference to the fate of the hostagesand for personal reasonsstalling for time to evade investigations and elections
During a demonstration on Saturday night, Rami Beja called the release of the hostages "the only way to restore confidence in the country's leadership." And at previous rallies he had urged attendees not to "get involved in politics."
Retired Major General Nimrod Schaefer also spoke at the demonstration. "Israel is facing the most important decision in history, perhaps the most important since the War of Independence, and in order to rebuild what was destroyed, we have to make decisions," he said. ”
This ** failed to take a decision on the return of the hostages, on the political vision for ending the war, and on the return of 200,000 refugees. "It has failed to strengthen alliances with partners, to hold citizens accountable, to unite people, and to lead us to the future we deserve." ”
Ronin Maneris.
In his speech, former IDF spokesman Ronin Maneris accused the implementation of the hostage rescue policy in order to avoid elections. "The Israeli leadership, the wartime cabinet and its heads were afraid to make the decision to agree to the exchange of prisoners of war because they feared that a temporary ceasefire would invite criticism and investigation, and that they might need to regain the trust of their constituents," he said. ”
Youssef Angel said: "You, as the leader of the country, are responsible for the big ** of October 7 last year. It's shameful that you're trying to evade responsibility and find someone else to take the blame. Angel was released after being taken to Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), but lost his 17-year-old son.
Avi Benayahu.
Another former IDF spokesman, Avi Benayahu, directly referred to Netanyahu and his allies in his speech, accusing them of "abandoning, neglecting, arrogant, and fueling Hamas." He called Minister Itama Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezarel Smotrich "radicals" who insisted that Israel not release Hamas militants in the hostage deal, "they want to lead us to chaos".
Benayahu called on Netanyahu to accept a "very difficult" hostage-swap deal with Hamas. In justifying the truce, he said, "Hamas is surrounded, it can't go anywhere." But the hostages will be lost. ”
The families of the hostages and the a** stood behind the blazing slogan "Help".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the war will not end unless Hamas is completely "eliminated". On 1 February, Israeli Defence Minister Yoaf Galant stressed that only force could ensure the release of Israeli hostages.
On the evening of the 2nd, the ** people gathered in Tel Aviv again, holding placards with hostage portraits and shouting slogans such as "no more bloodshed", demanding a ceasefire in Israel.
* called for the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas in Gaza.
These events showed participants holding signs and chanting slogans demanding Netanyahu's resignation. Many of the hostages' relatives made multiple speeches calling for the rescue of the hostages, or for "an immediate agreement."
Sophie Mazquet, director of the CGB gallery in Bjery, said: "This is not a natural disaster that happened to us. This is a man-made disaster. This is a sustained and deliberate catastrophe of leadership based on power, hatred, and destruction. ”
Thousands of ** people in Habima Square in Tel Aviv are calling for elections.
*'s slogans read: "The blood of my sisters cries out to me" and "** is responsible for the lives of the hostages".