Hundreds of Israeli protesters stormed police checkpoints near Netanyahu's home in West Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, demanding a deal to return prisoners from the Gaza Strip, according to Hebrew media.
Yedioth Ahronoth reported that protesters "breached barriers in Paris Square near Netanyahu's residence, before heading to Jaffa Street and climbing onto the light rail tracks, amid clashes with police."
She added that police began dispersing the demonstrators using cavalry, while protesters set fire to car tires and garbage containers near Netanyahu's home, setting several cars on fire.
Israeli police announced the arrest of 13 people during the protests, while the prisoners' families affirmed that they would continue their activities to pressure the government to accept the mediators' proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
"fascist militias"
"Demonstrating is a legitimate right in a democracy, but what is happening now is beyond all bounds," Netanyahu said in a video address, claiming that protesters are "destroying property, blocking roads, and persecuting elected officials and their families."
He claimed that protesters "threaten to kill him daily and plan to burn down his house," considering what is happening to reflect "the absence of law enforcement," and called on the police to take action.
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Netanyahu claimed that the protesters "already began storming the checkpoints, then tried to storm the fences, and then launched flares that nearly burned a security guard to death near my house."
He described the protesters near his home as "fascist militias," claiming they were threatening to kill him and his family.
On August 18, Hamas agreed to a proposal by mediators for a partial ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza. However, Israel did not respond to the mediators, despite the agreement's terms being identical to a previous proposal approved by Tel Aviv. Instead, Netanyahu pushed for the occupation of Gaza City under the pretext of releasing prisoners and defeating Hamas.
On Wednesday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir officially announced the launch of Operation "Gideon 2," which aims to occupy the entirety of Gaza City after encircling it and displacing Palestinians from it.
Israel estimates there are 48 prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. More than 10,800 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect. Several of these Palestinians have been martyred, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 63,746 Palestinians dead, 161,245 injured, most of them children and women, more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that has killed 367 Palestinians, including 131 children,
