Thousand of Israelis protest around country, demand a hostage deal

Thousands of Israelis have joined protests in Tel Aviv and Caesarea, demanding that a deal be reached in Qatar for the release of hostages, Israeli media reported on Saturday.

According to reports, multiple protestors lit fires on the highway in Tel Aviv, and one was even arrested on suspicion of lighting a tire on fire.

Israel Police stated that police were deployed in large forces in order to secure the planned protest and maintain the peace.

Israel Police added that they approved the request to hold the protest on a lawn near the Sarona compound on Kaplan Street, Tel Aviv, in accordance with the conditions established with the organizers.

"Part of Kaplan Street was closed to the protestors, with the aim of balancing the freedom to protest legitimately and the freedom of movement with minimal disruption to routine," said Israel Police.

"Despite the approval and a regulated area for the protest established in dialogue with the organizers, and at the same time as the police approved the protest, several protesters gathered illegally on Menachem Begin Road. They began to violate the peace by lighting fires on the road."

"At this stage, some of the protestors did not listen to the policemen's instructions and instead blocked the Ayalon road, which posed a real risk to human life. In light of the order violations, the police repelled the violators using means to disperse demonstrations."

Yair Golan speaks at a protest in Caesarea

In Caesarea, former deputy chief of staff and head of the new political party, "The Democrats," Yair Golan, arrived at a protest center and delivered a speech saying, "How can we engage with you when the country is deteriorating into an abyss, the hostages are languishing in the captivity of Hamas, the best of our allies around the world are turning their backs on us, the displaced have not yet returned to their homes, the ruins of the destruction in the south and north have not yet been restored, and the murdered are still buried in temporary graves far from their homes that turned into a death trap?"

"How can we engage with you when our beloved country becomes a third-world country, not liberal, democratic, or free in the eyes of the world?" 

These protests come following ongoing talks in Qatar between an Israeli delegation and Hamas officials, with Qatari, American, and Egyptian mediators.

According to the latest reports, Israel has agreed to a compromise on the amount of Palestinian prisoners it is willing to release, and all relevant parties are awaiting Hamas's response.