A foot protest march of thousands of activists and families of detainees held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) arrived in Jerusalem yesterday, Saturday, where they demanded “answers” from the Israeli government - as pressure on it intensified - after the announcement of the death of two detainees in Gaza during the last days.

According to the Israeli army, about 240 people were detained in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which was carried out by the Palestinian resistance on the seventh of last October on the settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip, and since then their families have been demanding through various means their release. Many Israelis hold their government responsible for this, because it was surprised by the Palestinian resistance attack.

The highway leading to Jerusalem was crowded with pictures of detainees during the march in which thousands participated and which began last Tuesday from Tel Aviv, which is about 60 kilometers from Jerusalem.

The faces of the detainees were printed on black T-shirts and banners, and demonstrators gathered in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, launching hundreds of yellow balloons into the sky with the words "Send them back."

The participants chanted, "Send them back to their homes now. All of them. Now," a slogan they have been calling for  6 weeks.

Among those who participated in the march to Jerusalem was centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid, who supports the war, but demands Netanyahu's resignation.

The detainees' families, who are demanding the acceleration of any prisoner exchange, are frustrated by Netanyahu's insistence on the need to remain discreet about the negotiations being mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

Demonstration in Tel Aviv

In a similar context, hundreds of people demonstrated yesterday, Saturday, in Tel Aviv against the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. The demonstration was organized by the left-wing Hadash party, according to Israeli media. One of the banners read: “An eye for an eye, and we are all blind.” Kan TV reported that the demonstrators demanded a change to "the worst government in Israel's history."

On the other hand, the website of the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that there was a counter-demonstration in which dozens of participants participated.

Verbal and physical confrontations took place between the two sides. The newspaper added that the pro-war demonstrators threw water bottles at the peace march participants and chanted, “Go to Gaza” and “Death to the Arabs.”

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies