Frustration Mounts Over Hostage Deal As Israelis Rally Against Netanyahu With Gaza War Reaching 6 Months

Thousands of Israelis rallied against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a pending hostage deal and demanding elections.

Demonstrators light a fire as thousands of Israeli citizens stage a demonstration against Benjamin Netanyahu

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Tens of thousands of Israelis hit the streets against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to demand a hostage deal and to hold elections as the Israel Hamas would complete six months on Sunday. As many as 1,00,000 people took part in the protests after the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recovered the body of hostage Elad Katzir, reported BBC. 

The protestors also called for polls as they chanted "elections now" and "Elad, we're sorry".

The families of hostages held in Gaza joined the protest as demonstrators expressed their frustration with the government's inability to get back around 130 hostages who remain in the captivity of Hamas and its allies in Gaza. 

The body of Elad Katzir was recovered by the IDF earlier on Saturday. He was taken to Gaza by Hamas during the October 7 attacks and had appeared alive in a hostage video released in January. 

"Elad Katzir managed to survive three months in captivity. He should have been with us today. He could have been with us today," protester Noam Peri told a BBC reporter.

As per the BBC report, the protestors rallied in around 50 locations across Israel which were the latest in a series of huge anti-government protests demanding resignation from Netanyahu amid fury that he has failed to free the remaining hostages.

Hamas Delegation To Reach Cairo For Ceasefire Talk

A Hamas delegation will reach Cairo on Sunday, headed by the group's deputy chief Khalil Al-Hayya, for ceasefire talks, in response to an invitation extended by Egypt mediators, reported Reuters.

The Sunday talks will be attended by US CIA Director Bill Burns, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and a delegation from the Israeli side was also expected to take part in the talks. 

Hamas reiterated its demand for a permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a return of the displaced, and a "serious" exchange deal of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.