Thousands Rally in Tel Aviv Opposing Gaza War Expansion

On Saturday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Tel Aviv, calling for an end to the war in Gaza, just one day after the Israeli government announced plans to escalate the conflict and capture Gaza City.

The Protest and Its Messages

Protesters carried signs and held up photographs of hostages still held in the Palestinian territory, urging the government to prioritise their release.

Shahar Mor Zahiro, a relative of a slain hostage, addressed the crowd with a direct warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

“If you invade parts of Gaza and the hostages are murdered, we will pursue you in the town squares, in election campaigns and at every time and place.”

Government Plans and International Response

On Friday, Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved a major operation to seize Gaza City, provoking a wave of criticism both within Israel and internationally.

Several foreign governments, including some of Israel’s closest allies, have urged a negotiated ceasefire aimed at securing the hostages’ safe return and alleviating the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Despite domestic backlash and reports of dissent among Israeli military leadership, Netanyahu has remained firm in his stance.

In a social media post late on Friday, the Prime Minister declared:

“We are not going to occupy Gaza — we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.

Continued Protests and Hostage Situation

Netanyahu has faced persistent protests throughout the 22-month-long war, with many rallies demanding that the government seek a deal following previous truces in which hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli custody.

Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 49 remain captive in Gaza, with Israeli military officials stating that 27 are deceased

Palestinian Authority Condemns Expansion Plans

The Palestinian Authority (PA) condemned Israel’s plan to broaden military operations in Gaza on Saturday.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas, in a statement carried by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, described the plan as:

“A new crime,” stressing “the urgent need to take action to stop it immediately.”

He further emphasised:

“The importance of enabling the State of Palestine to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip.

Security Cabinet’s New Administration Proposal

Alongside the Gaza City operation plan, the Israeli security cabinet adopted principles aiming to end the war by establishing a new governing administration in Gaza that would be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

The PA, originally established as a step towards Palestinian statehood, maintains limited control over parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but has no authority in Hamas-governed Gaza

International Criticism

A joint statement from the foreign ministers of Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom criticised Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City:

“This will exacerbate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of hostages, and increase the risk of a mass exodus of civilians.”

Russia also condemned the Israeli operation in a statement on Saturday, warning that such actions:

“Risk worsening the already dramatic situation in the Palestinian enclave, which shows all the signs of a humanitarian disaster.

Casualty Figures and Humanitarian Impact

Gaza’s civil defence agency reported at least 37 people were killed by Israeli fire on Saturday, including 30 civilians waiting to receive aid.

The offensive launched by Israel has resulted in more than 61,000 Palestinian deaths, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which the United Nations regards as reliable.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, based on an AFP tally compiled from official sources.