Netanyahu ‘worried’ about protest as firm estimates 280,000 joined rally in Tel Aviv to demand hostage release deal
These demonstrations, which have been gaining momentum, have seemingly caught the attention of the Prime Minister, who is reportedly uneasy about the escalating situation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed profound concern and trepidation regarding the widespread anti-government protests currently engulfing the nation, according to a high-ranking Israeli official, who spoke to CNN and wished to remain anonymous.
These demonstrations, which have been gaining momentum, have seemingly caught the attention of the Prime Minister, who is reportedly uneasy about the escalating situation.
The most recent protest, held on Sunday evening in central Tel Aviv, drew an estimated 280,000 participants, as reported by Crowd Solutions, a firm specializing in crowd analytics.
This impressive turnout would render it the largest gathering of its kind in nearly eighteen months, underscoring the depth of public discontent.
Organizers of the protest, meanwhile, have provided even more staggering estimates, suggesting that a staggering 300,000 individuals converged on Tel Aviv, while an additional 200,000 people participated in simultaneous demonstrations across other parts of the country.
These figures, if accurate, would indicate a significant and widespread groundswell of opposition to the current government.
Demonstrators primarily fault Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to secure a ceasefire during the nearly 11-month war, AP News reports.
On Sunday evening, a sea of grieving and infuriated Israelis poured onto the streets, their emotions boiling over after the devastating discovery of six additional hostages brutally slain in Gaza.
With voices raised in unison, the protesters thundered a resolute chant of “Now! Now!”, imploring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the moment and broker an immediate ceasefire with Hamas, thereby ensuring the safe return of the remaining captives.
Amplifying the public outcry, Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, declared a comprehensive general strike for Monday, marking the nation’s first such collective action since the conflict’s inception on October 7.
