Tel Aviv. With at least five detainees and reports of police violence, a massive march in Tel Aviv ended, demanding the government reach an agreement with Hamas.
“Rafah can wait, the hostages cannot,” chanted the protesters. The police justified their action by claiming that the protest was “illegal and violent,” according to The Times of Israel newspaper on its website.
In the midst of intense military preparations for the announced offensive in the city of Rafah, in Gaza, protesters lit a bonfire on Begin Avenue in Tel Aviv, near the headquarters of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Relatives of hostages and former hostages released during the November truce participated in the protest, calling on the government to stop the war to bring the hostages home.
The rally took place while Hamas is studying its response to the counteroffer presented by Israel. According to the Israeli newspaper, the proposal includes a 40-day pause in the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, in exchange for 33 live hostages. The truce would be followed by a second phase or “period of sustained calm.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed hopes that Hamas will accept Tel Aviv’s “extraordinarily generous” offer.
After weeks of impasse, Israel has softened its position on the conditions for a hostage pact with Hamas, raising hopes of progress in diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza. Infographic Graphic News
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– 2024-05-06 13:00:40
