Tens of thousands of people in Israel are taking to the streets to demand a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The scale of the protests is unprecedented, with 120,000 people gathering in Tel Aviv alone, marking the largest turnout since the start of the Gaza war. Mass protests are also taking place throughout the country as people rally for peace.
The demonstrations are a response to President Biden’s new draft for a ceasefire in Gaza, which calls for the return of hostages and a six-week period of silence in the first phase of negotiations. However, the proposal does not specify who will control Gaza after the fighting ends, leaving open the question of Hamas’s future as a military and civilian organization.
Israel’s Defense Minister has stated that the war will not end until Hamas is completely destroyed, and Israel is working on building an alternative government in the region. Despite this stance, there is division within the Israeli government regarding the acceptance of Biden’s proposal. Far-right coalition partners of Prime Minister Netanyahu have vehemently rejected the ceasefire plan and threatened to leave the government if it is accepted. Netanyahu himself has not explicitly supported or rejected the proposal, keeping a low profile amidst domestic political pressure and threats from both sides of the political spectrum.
If Netanyahu’s coalition partners leave the government, opposition leader Yair Lapid has offered support in exchange for a hostage deal. However, Netanyahu is unlikely to accept this offer as it could lead to collapse his government. With tensions high and uncertainty looming, finding a path to a ceasefire in Gaza remains uncertain.
