Marking nine months since the war in Gaza started, protesters gather near Netanyahu's Jerusalem resi

(7 Jul 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jerusalem - 7 July 2024
1. Drummers at protest
2. Protesters chanting (Hebrew) “We will not give up until it’s better here”
3. Drummers and protester jumping
4. Protesters chanting (Hebrew) “Now, we want them alive”
5. Sign at protest reading (Hebrew) “Enough with the abandonment of the state and hostages”
6. Drummer at protest
7. Pan of protests, protesters chanting (Hebrew) “We want them alive”
8. Pan from police to protest
9. Protester with sign reading (Hebrew) “Yes to a deal, enough war”
10. Sign reading (Hebrew) “Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) we will not forgive you”
11. Pan of police
12. Protesters with poster showing images on Netanyahu and yellow glove reading (English) “Bring them home now”
13. Close of yellow glove
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of protesters with drums and banners gathered in Jerusalem near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence on Sunday to demand a deal to release hostages held in Gaza and call for elections.
Marking nine months since the war in Gaza started, Israeli protesters demonstrated across the country, pushing for a cease-fire to bring back scores of hostages held by Hamas.
The demonstrations come as long-running efforts to broker a truce gained momentum last week when Hamas dropped a key demand for an Israeli commitment to end the war.
The militant group still wants mediators to guarantee a permanent cease-fire, while Netanyahu is vowing to keep fighting until Israel destroys Hamas' military and governing capabilities.
Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people and took 250 more hostage in October's surprise attack that sparked off the conflict.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 38,000 b Palestinians, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.
About 120 hostages remain captive after more than 100 hostages were released as part of a November cease-fire deal.
Israel has already concluded that more than 40 of the remaining hostages are dead, and there are fears that the number will grow as the war drags on.
The United States has rallied the world behind a proposal for a phased cease-fire in which Hamas would release the remaining captives in return for a lasting cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
But Hamas wants guarantees from mediators that the war will end, while Israel wants the freedom to resume fighting if talks over releasing the last batch of hostages drag on.
Israel continues to battle pockets of Palestinian militants across Gaza after months of heavy bombing and ground operations that have devastated the territory's main cities and displaced most of its population of 2.3 million people, often multiple times.
On Sunday, Israel issued new evacuation orders for parts of Gaza City, which was heavily bombed and largely emptied early in the war.
AP video by Shlomo Mor
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