Protests in Israel: over 30 arrested protesters, water cannons carried out near Jerusalem. The intervention of the president

Since Sunday morning, the protesters went out on the streets of Israel, with the beginning of a general strike at national level, convened by the bereaved families and the relatives of the hostages. The protesters gathered in dozens of places to demand the cessation of the war in Gaza and the return of all those held captive by the terrorist groups in the strip, writes Times of Israel.

At the beginning of the afternoon, the police said he arrested over 30 protesters throughout the country, while the activists blocked the streets and, in some cases, collided with the officers trying to reopen them.

Outside Jerusalem, the police held a water cannon to disperse the protest that were on the ground in a tunnel along the 16th highway, leading to the Capital. At Tel Aviv, 11 protesters were arrested after “violated public order and significantly affected the freedom of movement” on the roads, the authorities said.

During the Sunday morning, the protesters closed portions of highway 1, the main highway of Tel Aviv-Ierusalim, as well as the Begin Boulevard in Jerusalem, the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, the 4th Highway at Ra'anana, but also the 65, 75, 89 highways of North Israel and 443, 443 and 443.

The protesters also gathered in front of the homes of several government ministers, including the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, in Jerusalem, of the Minister of Justice, Yariv Levin, of Modiin, of the Minister of Economy, Nir Barkat, of the Capital, of the Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch, from Hod Hasharon, from Hod Hasharon Haskel, from Kfar Saba.

The protest was convened by the October Council, a group of members of the families of the hostages and those killed on October 7, as well as the survivors of the attack, who ask the end of the war in Gaza and the return of the 50 hostages held there.

They initiated the protest after the cabinet voted earlier this month to conquer Gaza, despite the IDF warnings that this would endanger the hostages.

Hundreds of local authorities, companies, universities, technology companies and other organizations have announced that they are joining the strike or will allow employees to join, if they want.

The Histadrut national union said he would not join the strike, but his leader, Arnon Bar-David, visited the hostage market in Tel Aviv on Sunday with a message of solidarity.

“It's not a left and right problem,” he said. “It is a problem to bring people back, to bring back people who have been abducted, abducted from their bed, kidnapped from their turn and tank.”

President Isaac Herzog went to the market and said that all the inhabitants of the country want the hostages to return home as soon as possible

“There is no Israeli who does not want at home,” he said. “We can discuss the philosophers, but indeed, the people of Israel want our brothers and sisters to return home.”

In a message addressed to the 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, of which at least 20 are believed, he said: “We have not forgotten you for a moment. We do our best to bring you back home.”

Herzog urged the international community to intensify pressure on Hamas.

“I am here to tell the international press and the international decision -makers: our sons and daughters are there, in the prisons in Gaza, for 681 days,” Herzog said with Sharon Sharbi, the brother of the hostage released Eli Sharabi, and Yael Adar, the mother of Tamir Adar, who was killed by Hamas on October 7 and on October 7.

“We want them back home as soon as possible. The world should want them back home as soon as possible. You are no longer a gang of hypocrites. Sprinkle-because when you know how to press, press-press and tell Hamas:” Without agreement, nothing “, Herzog added.

“I know from my own experience how it is to be in captivity. I know that the military pressure does not bring back the hostages – just kill them.”

“I want to tell our brothers and sisters around the world that we are together in this difficult situation. We want the hostages back home. They are the most important problem of world affairs and we want to see them back home as soon as possible,” said the president.

Also addressing the crowds of the hostage market, the hostage issued Arbel Yehoud-whose lover, Ariel Cunio, is still captive-warned that military pressure will not release those who are still in Gaza.

“I know from my own experience how it is to be in captivity. I know that military pressure does not bring back the hostages – just kill them,” she said. “The only way to bring back is through an agreement, suddenly, without games.”

Yehoud spoke with the hostage released Sharon Aloni -unio-who was released in November 2023 with his two daughters and whose husband, David Cunio, Ariel's brother-is still captive, as well as Yarden Bibas-David's best friend-who was released in February and whose wife, and his wife, killed in captivity.

Yehoud, who was released in January as part of a fire termination agreement, described the suffocating conditions in the underground, “without water, without air, without the possibility of breathing” and said that the Sunday strike cannot remain a singular event.

“We must stop the normal life again and again until those in captivity will return. You have seen photos, videos, horrors. How long will you continue to close your eyes? There is only one way to bring them all back: an understanding now.”

Also speaking in the market, Einav Zangauker, the mother of the hostages Matan Zangauker, asked for the immediate return of all the hostages.

“I came here from Golan and each intersection was full of people.”

“The hostages are all our children!” She said. “We have to save them now!”

Aylet Goldin, Hadar Goldin's sister – an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2014, whose body is kept by Hamas for 11 years – he spoke with emotion: “I came here from Golan and every intersection was full of people.”

Calling the Israelis to go out, Goldin added: “The hostages are the heart of Israeli society. We must bring them back to be able to return to ourselves and our values.”

Lishay Miran Lavi, whose husband, Omri, was taken hostage on October 7 and is detained in Gaza, said: “Today is just the beginning.”

“We intend to intensify the fight. We have no other option,” she said.

In the center of the market, there were arranged rows of empty trolleys, a disturbing exhibition that symbolized the children killed by Hamas from October 7, 2023. Many of them were attached bright yellow banners that wrote “a mother never give up.”
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Under a large, shaded canopy, dozens of mothers stood with their babies and their young children, gathering quietly and solidarity. The trolleys were lined up in space, along with other exhibitions full of photographs of the hostages.

“I want to return and finish the war and we will not stop until they return,” said Dana, who came with her baby and a group of other mothers to join the protest of mothers.

Nili Bresler, from Ramat Gan, said she came to the hostage market in support of her student, Avinan or, who was abducted from the Nova Festival – together with her friend, Noa Argamani, who was saved last year – and who remains hostage in Gaza.

“He is a beautiful young man and we hope he resists. I received a sign of life from him on March 12, which was a long time ago, but it is more than nothing,” she said, standing alone with a banner that was his photo.

Bresler, who teaches English technique to technology employees, teaches him, chip designer in Nvidia: “He is very talented and intelligent, with a huge heart,” she said, adding that the numerous presence made her feel “more optimistic than I was.”

Rosenberg Ruti, who grew up in Kibuțul Ein Hashlosha, near the border with Gaza, who now lives in Kfar Saba, said he is thinking about hostages “all the time” and participates in rallies every Saturday evening to ask for their release.

“We will continue to come until this government manages to bring them back,” she said. “This is important.”