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Thousands of Israeli protestors gathered in Tel Aviv and other parts of the country, demanding the government negotiate the release of captives held by Hamas in Gaza and call early elections. Their frustrations were voiced loudly on Saturday, targeting the administration led by Benjamin Netanyahu for its “failure” to secure the captives’ freedom after six months of conflict.

The protests escalated into confrontations with security forces in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators ignited several fires. Some protestors were arrested by police, with unclear figures circulating of the numbers of those detained by police. The crowd chanted various slogans, including “Police, police who exactly are you guarding?” and “Ben-Gvir is a terrorist.” As per organizers cited in local media, these demonstrations extended to around 50 locations nationwide, marking a continued pattern of public dissent since the war’s onset on October 7.

This public outcry comes on the eve of ceasefire negotiations in Cairo, where hostages currently being held by Hamas will be discussed. The talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, are ongoing as both sides failed to reach an agreement after six months of the war. According to the United States, Israel has proposed a “viable” ceasefire agreement that Hamas has rejected.

Currently, a new round of ceasefire talks is set to begin, with participants including CIA Director Bill Burns. This round of talks seeks to bring a truce and address the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.