Citizens voice their concerns over the Israeli government's strategy, questioning the safety of hostages while critics within the military express discontent.
**Protests Erupt as Netanyahu's Gaza Expansion Plan Faces Growing Opposition**
**Protests Erupt as Netanyahu's Gaza Expansion Plan Faces Growing Opposition**
Thousands rally in Israel, demanding an end to military escalation in Gaza amid hostage fears.
Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Israel, expressing their strong disapproval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to escalate military actions in Gaza. The recent approval by Israel's security cabinet outlines five key principles aimed at intensifying control over Gaza, causing alarm among various segments of the population.
Many protesters include relatives of the 50 hostages believed to be held in Gaza, with urgent calls for the government to prioritize their safe return. Amid these developments, fears have mounted that a broader military operation puts both hostages and military personnel further at risk. "Expanding the fighting endangers the hostages and the soldiers – the people of Israel are not willing to risk them!" voiced a representative group of the hostages' families on social media platform X.
During the protests, a Jerusalem demonstrator named Shakha pleaded, "We want the war to end because our hostages are dying there. We need them all to be home now." This sentiment resonated with many, including former soldiers, with one, Max Kresch, declaring his refusal to continue service. "We're over 350 soldiers who served during the war and we're refusing to continue to serve in Netanyahu's political war that endangers the hostages and starves innocent Palestinians in Gaza," he stated.
In Tel Aviv, family members of hostages rallied close to IDF headquarters, calling on soldiers to join their cause and refuse continued deployment in the expanded operation. The mother of one hostage, meanwhile, has initiated calls for a general labor strike, although reports indicate that this proposal is not backed by Israel's major labor union.
The army's Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, has reportedly cautioned Netanyahu against a complete occupation of Gaza, suggesting that it might "walk into a trap" and further endanger hostages' lives. Polls indicate a significant portion of the Israeli populace supports negotiating with Hamas for the hostages' release and generally favors ending military engagement.
Netanyahu, addressing the issue earlier in the week, asserted that the forthcoming military maneuver was not an occupation of Gaza but an effort to liberate Gaza from Hamas influence and secure hostages. "This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future," he stated.
Israel's security strategy outlines several principles focused on disarming Hamas, ensuring the return of hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, and creating a new civil administration devoid of Hamas or the Palestinian Authority's control. Meanwhile, the United Nations has cautioned that a military takeover could lead to disastrous outcomes for civilians and hostages alike.
International criticism has poured in, with countries like the UK, France, and Canada condemning the planned escalation, and Germany announcing a suspension of military exports to Israel in light of these developments. The United Nations Security Council is poised to convene to deliberate on Israel's controversial course of action, amid the ongoing conflict that has already claimed over 61,300 lives in Gaza since the outbreak of hostilities following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people and caused the abduction of 251 individuals.
