Israeli forces clash with settlers demanding prisoner swap deal with Hamas

Anti-regime protests have turned violent in Tel Aviv and elsewhere across the occupied territories where thousands of demonstrators were calling for the resignation of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the release of captives held in Gaza.

Mass protests in Israel over the past two weeks, sparked by the recovery of six captive bodies from Gaza, have seen a significant surge in attendance.

Last weekend’s rallies drew an estimated 750,000 participants in Tel Aviv, demonstrating a strong public outcry against Netanyahu’s cabinet handling of the war and its indifference to the fate of the nearly 100 captives still held in the war-battered Gaza Strip.

The protesters on Saturday gathered outside military headquarters and other buildings, chanting slogans against Netanyahu, urging him to reach a deal with Palestinians to ensure the return of captives.

Demonstrators hold Netanyahu responsible for the failure to secure a deal, saying he is prolonging the war in Gaza to maintain his position in power.

During the protests, families of the captives held in Gaza also released a statement warning that the war will continue against their will as long as Netanyahu remains in power.

Clashes were reported with the police after the protesters blocked the highways and set a bonfire. The Israeli police reported that they detained 15 protesters at the Tel Aviv rally.

Protesters reported that police were using excessive force and randomly arresting activists at the rallies.

Captives spill beans: Hamas tunnels in Gaza beyond the reach of Israeli forces

Captives held in Gaza have revealed that the Israeli military has no knowledge of the vast network of Hamas tunnels in Gaza and that PM Netanyahu is lying to settlers.

Last week, Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, warned that captives held in Gaza would return to the occupied territories “in coffins” if the Israeli military continues its aggression.

“Netanyahu and the army are fully responsible for the death of the captives after they intentionally hindered any prisoners’ exchange deal,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, said on Monday.

Negotiations mediated by Egypt, and Qatar aimed at securing a deal between Israel and Hamas have been at a standstill for several months, as the Israeli regime has introduced additional conditions to a truce proposal by the US that Hamas had previously accepted.

Israel launched its brutal onslaught on Gaza after Hamas-led resistance groups carried out a surprise operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people for over seven decades.

During its operation, Hamas took 251 Israelis captive, 97 of whom now remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead due to indiscriminate Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.

After 11 months of the Gaza offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its declared objectives of eliminating Hamas and freeing captives, despite killing at least 41,182 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

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