The demonstrators called for an immediate prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza to secure the release of Israeli captives.

According to Israeli media, clashes erupted between protesters and police in several areas, with Israeli police detaining several individuals. Israeli Channel 12 described the demonstration, held in front of the Ministry of Security, as "the largest since the war began," and potentially the biggest in two years, surpassing previous protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.

The Tel Aviv protest was part of a larger movement across occupied Palestine, with more than half a million Israelis participating in demonstrations in various cities and settlements. In Tel Aviv, tensions escalated as protesters blocked major roads, including the Ayalon Highway, and set tires on fire on Begin Street. Similar demonstrations in occupied Haifa saw police forces using force against protesters, resulting in injuries and arrests.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian Resistance group Hamas released a video with a stark message to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. The video suggested that the fate of Israeli captives in Gaza lies in Netanyahu's hands, warning, "The next message; will it be the release [of captives] through a deal, or death by [Israeli] bombing?" The footage also showed images of Israeli captives killed during ongoing Israeli bombardments of Gaza, which have continued for 337 days.

The protests mark a significant escalation in internal pressure on the Israeli government to negotiate with Hamas for a prisoner exchange, as families of captives and broader sections of Israeli society demand action. (ILKHA)