Widespread Protests in Israel; US Seeks to Present 'Final Proposal for Ceasefire'

The discovery of the bodies of six Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip sparked widespread protests in cities across Israel, reportedly the largest demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government since the onset of the Gaza war. Meanwhile, the Washington Post and Axios reported separately that the US government is preparing a 'final agreement' to present to the parties involved. In another news, the Israeli Ministry of Health announced on Sunday evening that the autopsy results of the six hostages indicate they were killed 48 to 72 hours prior to the autopsy. On Sunday evening, tens of thousands took to the streets in various Israeli cities, demanding an immediate agreement for the release of the remaining hostages. Reports indicate that this protest is one of the largest anti-government gatherings in Israel since the Gaza war began, with Reuters citing Israeli media reporting around half a million protesters across different cities. The Times of Israel reported that approximately 300,000 people demonstrated in Tel Aviv alone. Protesters chanted slogans such as 'Now! Now!' and 'We want them alive,' urging Netanyahu to reach an agreement to return the remaining hostages sooner. In Tel Aviv, following the main protest, some demonstrators blocked a highway for three hours. According to Israeli media, following scattered clashes between police and protesters on this highway, several protesters were arrested, bringing the total number of arrests on Sunday to over 30. A widespread strike in Israel is also expected to begin on Monday morning, called by Histadrut, the largest labor union in Israel, aimed at pressuring Netanyahu's government to end the Gaza war and bring the hostages home. Meanwhile, the Washington Post and Axios reported on the US government's plan to present a 'final proposal' for the last time. The Washington Post quoted a senior US official on Sunday stating that this agreement has a 'take it or leave it' nature and is considered the last deal. This unnamed senior US official told the newspaper, 'We can’t keep negotiating indefinitely; this process must come to an end at some point.' Details of this new proposal have not been disclosed, and this official indicated that it will be presented to the parties involved in the Gaza war by mediating countries, including the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, in the coming weeks. One of the six hostages whose body was discovered in Gaza was Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American citizen, and the news has sparked widespread reactions in the US among figures from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Axios also confirmed Washington's efforts to present 'final' mediation proposals. The website reported on Sunday evening that Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, and Brett McGurk, President Biden's special envoy for the Middle East, informed the families of seven American hostages held by Hamas during a one-hour online conversation. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union. Two sources familiar with this online conversation told Axios that Sullivan and McGurk informed the families that the US would present a new version of its 'mediated proposal' to Israel and the extremist group Hamas in the coming days, giving both parties a week to respond with a yes or no. The current Gaza crisis began on October 7 of last year with an incursion by the extremist group Hamas into southern Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages. In response to this incursion, the Israeli military launched extensive military operations throughout the Gaza Strip, which, according to officials under Hamas, have resulted in over 40,000 deaths to date. Washington has denied reports about the failure of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.