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Gaza offensive, pressure on Netanyahu increases
The streets of Israel are boiling. Tens of thousands of citizens have gathered in Tel Aviv and other cities to demand an end to the war in Gaza and the immediate release of hostages still held by Hamas. The protests, led by forums of the hostages' families, have now turned into a broad social movement that is directly challenging the authority of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In Hostage Square and along Tel Aviv's main Begin Road, protesters lit symbolic fires in the middle of the street, placing pictures and banners with the faces of the hostages. Chants of "Bring our children home!" and "No deal, no peace!" shook Israel's political heart.
demonstration in Brussels; إسنادًا لغزة وتنديدًا بحرب التجويع الوليبادة التي يشنها يوععة. pic.twitter.com/d5E2Yem53D
— شبقة قدس الخبرية (@qudsn) August 23, 2025
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has built his policy on the promise of destroying Hamas, is facing an increasingly dangerous dilemma: continue the military offensive or negotiate the release of the hostages at the price of a political compromise.
Former defense minister and centrist leader Benny Gantz has called for the formation of a “national interim government to rescue the hostages,” which would have a mandate of only six months. He has addressed not only Netanyahu, but also opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, calling for national unity that would put aside personal and party interests. “I don’t want to save Netanyahu, I want to save the hostages,” Gantz declared.
Other figures in the ruling coalition are also facing public anger. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced public shaming from protesters in Kfar Malal, who accused him of “dodging military service” and rejected his presence in their community.
Meanwhile, on the ground, the situation in Gaza is unbearable. According to Al Jazeera and local hospital sources, at least 51 Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks this morning alone, including 16 people trying to receive food aid. In the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, Israeli tanks are expanding the ground offensive, while shelling has killed a child and injured several displaced civilians.
International organizations warn that Gaza has entered a state of declared famine. Hundreds of thousands of civilians, mainly women and children, are on the verge of death from hunger and lack of supplies. Massive solidarity protests have also taken place in European capitals such as Vienna, Berlin, Brussels and Stockholm, where thousands of citizens have demanded an end to the bombing and the opening of humanitarian corridors.
On August 22, Netanyahu declared that Israel was ready to resume negotiations for the release of the hostages, but only under conditions that, according to him, “are acceptable for the security of the state.” This hard line, accompanied by daily military attacks, has deepened the gap between the government and public opinion, increasing fears that the hostages could lose their lives while waiting.
The families of the hostages have already made it clear: they will continue the protests, strikes and blockades of institutions until the government accepts an agreement. “Every day that passes without a solution is a death sentence for our loved ones,” the organizers said.
Israel is at a political and moral crossroads today: the Netanyahu government seeks to maintain its image as an "iron fortress," while its war-weary citizens demand an immediate solution. The longer this situation continues, the greater the risk that internal conflict will undermine the very cohesion of the Jewish state.
If Netanyahu fails to provide a way out, the protests could turn into a new wave of political unrest, putting his future in power in serious jeopardy. /Pamphlet
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