Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu’s leadership amid Gaza conflict

In a wave of protests, thousands of Israelis gathered outside the military headquarters in Tel Aviv and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea on Saturday – December 30, 2023 – night. 

The demonstrators called for Netanyahu’s resignation, citing dissatisfaction with his handling of the ongoing Gaza conflict and failure to secure the release of captives in Palestinian territory.

They demanded immediate elections and a diplomatic agreement with the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement to secure the release of Israeli captives. 

Banners reading “Elections now,” “A diplomatic agreement,” and “Israel will not survive if we don’t bring him (Netanyahu) down” were prominent in the anti-regime demonstrations.

The conflict, initiated by Israel on October 7 in response to Hamas’s Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, has not achieved its objectives despite casualties exceeding 21,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. 

A week-long humanitarian ceasefire in late November saw an exchange of captives between Israel and Gaza.

However, tensions persist, with at least 68 Palestinians reported dead in fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Sunday. 

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters. Additionally, dozens of Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border are suspected of having leishmaniasis, a skin disease caused by the Leishmania parasite.

The situation remains fluid as both sides grapple with the complexities of the conflict and its humanitarian consequences.