Thousands of Israelis Protest in Tel Aviv Against Netanyahu's Government

Thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv on Saturday, July 2, against their government, demanding the release of hostages and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war. Reports indicate that police attempted to disperse the protesters in front of the Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv. Video footage shows mounted police entering the crowd and trying to push the protesters aside with their horses. Some protesters also attempted to block King Street, leading to the arrest of three demonstrators. The protesters took to the streets, as they have in previous weeks, to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages. During the gathering in Tel Aviv, demonstrators lit candles and distributed decorated cakes in honor of the 20th birthday of Naama Levy, who has been held hostage in Gaza since October 15. Families of the abducted, whose loved ones are still hostages of the extremist group Hamas, participated in the protest, along with opponents of Benjamin Netanyahu's continued political power. David Grossman, one of Israel's most renowned writers, urged Israelis in his speech at the weekly anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv to fight for their country by taking to the streets. Protests against Netanyahu's government, which had ceased in the early months of the war, have resumed in recent weeks, with opponents criticizing his management of the war. Opposition politicians, supporting the protesters who demand an end to Netanyahu's power, emphasize the need for early elections. Critics of Netanyahu argue that he insists on continuing the war in Gaza solely for his political survival.