Weekly protest becomes increasingly political with up to 120,000 Israelis rallying for hostage deal, against government

The release of another hostage propaganda video by the Hamas terrorist group on Sunday follows a mass rally of up to 120,000 people in Tel Aviv Saturday evening, calling on the Israeli government to finalize a hostage deal.

The Times of Israel reported that tens of thousands of the demonstrators were “anti-government protesters.” This surge in protests highlights a political climate where the desperate pleas of family members are intertwined with the chants of Israelis opposing the current War Cabinet's agenda.

Though the numbers were estimates, attendees said it was the largest gathering since the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion and kidnapping of 253 Israelis and foreign nationals. Similar demonstrations were held in various other towns and cities.

There are now believed to be around 134 men, women and children still held captive in Gaza after 240 days, although the IDF has confirmed the deaths of 33 of them.

Three hostages have so far been rescued alive and 19 bodies have been retrieved, including three tragically killed by friendly fire.

Many of the remaining living hostages are allegedly being kept as human shields around the terrorists, including the Hamas Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar, according to former U.S. Army official Gen. Jack Keane.

The latest Hamas propaganda video features the voice of Noa Argamani, the 26-year-old woman whose kidnapping on the back of a motorcycle has become a lasting image of the horrific terror attack. 

In her dictated script, she demanded the Israeli public “go out to the streets to demonstrate, shut down the streets of Tel Aviv and don’t come home until we return. Don’t let Netanyahu and the government kill us.”

According to Haaretz, two protesters at the Tel Aviv rally were arrested, and police used a sound cannon to disperse the crowd. Ynet News reported 14 police officers were injured during clashes with the protesters.

After the terrifying events of Oct. 7, Israel was united in grief for several months. However, recently, political demonstrations that began over the issue of judicial reform last year, have resumed on Saturday evenings. 

Many of the speakers at these events are on the left of the political spectrum, some high profile, many speaking against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Cabinet members amid the ongoing war.

On Saturday night, there was praise among the protesters for U.S. President Joe Biden for his latest hostage deal proposal, and an unfavorable comparison was made between him and Netanyahu. 

“Last night, we received a reminder of what a real leader looks like, who cares for Israel’s future and not his own. Thank you, President Biden,” said former head of the Israeli Finance Ministry’s budget department, Shaul Meridor.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu had made a rare statement on the Jewish Sabbath, in response to Biden. He reiterated that there could be no ceasefire while Hamas is still capable of launching attacks. The latest reports are that there has been some consideration, even acceptance, of the Biden proposal.

However, the Israeli Cabinet is divided over Biden’s latest proposal. Two of the Israel's outspoken far-right coalition members, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, threatened to topple the government if Netanyahu approves Biden's plan.