Israel's growing frustration over the war in Gaza explodes in nationwide protests
Groups representing families of hostages organized the demonstrations as frustration grows in Israel over plans for a new military offensive in some of Gaza's most populated areas, which many fear could further endanger the remaining hostages. Fifty hostages remain, and 20 of them are believed to still be alive.
"We don't win a war over the bodies of hostages," protesters chanted in one of the largest and fiercest protests in 22 months of war. Even some former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs now call for a deal to end the fighting.
Protesters gathered at dozens of places including outside politicians' homes, military headquarters and on major highways. They blocked lanes and lit bonfires. Some restaurants and theaters closed in solidarity. Police said they arrested 38 people.
"The only way to bring (hostages) back is through a deal, all at once, without games," former hostage Arbel Yehoud said at a demonstration in Tel Aviv. Her boyfriend Ariel Cunio is still being held by Hamas.
One protester carried a photo of an emaciated Palestinian child from Gaza. Such images were once rare at Israeli demonstrations but now appear more often as outrage grows over conditions there for civilians after more than 250 malnutrition-related deaths.
An end to the conflict does not seem near. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is balancing competing pressures, including the potential for mutiny within his coalition.
"Those who today call for an end to the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas' position and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of Oct. 7 will be repeated," Netanyahu said, referencing the Hamas-led attack in 2023 that killed some 1,200 people and sparked the war.
The last time Israel agreed to a ceasefire that released hostages earlier this year, far-right members of his cabinet threatened to topple Netanyahu's government.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called the demonstrations "a bad and harmful campaign that plays into Hamas' hands, buries the hostages in the tunnels and attempts to get Israel to surrender to its enemies and jeopardize its security and future."
The new offensive would require the call-up of thousands of reservists, another concern for many Israelis.
Hospitals and witnesses in Gaza said Israeli forces killed at least 17 aid-seekers on Sunday, including nine awaiting U.N. aid trucks close to the Morag corridor.
Hamza Asfour said he was just north of the corridor awaiting a convoy when Israeli snipers fired, first to disperse the crowds, then from tanks hundreds of meters (yards) away. He saw two people with gunshot wounds.
"It's either to take this risk or wait and see my family die of starvation," he said.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the Israeli-backed and U.S.-supported distribution points that have become the main source of aid since they opened in May, said there was no gunfire "at or near" its sites, which are located in military-controlled areas.
Israel's military did not immediately respond to questions.
Israel's air and ground war has displaced most of Gaza's population and killed more than 61,900 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not specify how many were fighters or civilians but says around half were women and children.
Two children and five adults died of malnutrition-related causes Sunday, according to the ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.
The United Nations has warned that levels of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at their highest since the war began. Most aid has been blocked from entering Gaza since Israel imposed a total blockade in March after ending a ceasefire. Deliveries have since partially resumed, though aid organizations say the flow is far below what is needed.
It is not clear when Israel's military will begin the new offensive in the crowded Gaza City, Muwasi and what Netanyahu has called the "central camps" of Gaza.
The military body that coordinates its humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, this weekend noted plans to forcibly evacuate people from combat zones to southern Gaza "for their protection." Designated "safe zones," however, also have been bombed during the war.
War-weary Palestinians on Sunday insisted that they won't leave, arguing that there is "no safe place" in Gaza.
"There are no humanitarian zones at all," said Raghda Abu Dhaher, who said she has been displaced 10 times during the war and now shelters in a school in western Gaza City.
Mohamed Ahmed also insisted that he won't move south. "Here is bombing and there is bombing," he said.
Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's capital Sunday, escalating strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who since the war in Gaza began have fired missiles at Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthi-run Al-Masirah Television said the strikes targeted a power plant in the southern district of Sanhan, sparking a fire and knocking it out of service. Israel's military said the strikes were launched in response to missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
While some projectiles have breached its missile defenses — notably during its 12-day war with Iran in June — Israel has intercepted the vast majority of missiles launched from Yemen. Its military later Sunday said it had intercepted another.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
Democratic-led states sue over Trump restrictions on crime victim grants
By Nate Raymond (Reuters) -A group of Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking to prevent the Trump administration from forcing them to cooperate with immigration enforcement activities in order to receive grant funding to support crime victims. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Rhode Island is the latest case to challenge efforts by Republican President Donald Trump's administration to impose immigration-related conditions on states' ability to receive federal funding. Monday's lawsuit by state attorneys general in 20 states and the District of Columbia takes aim at a condition the U.S. Department of Justice recently imposed on the ability of states to receive grants pursuant to the Victims of Crime Act, which Congress enacted in 1984 to bolster support for crime victims. The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. The department administers programs funded by fines and penalties assessed in federal criminal cases that allow states to receive grant funding to provide services for victims including medical care, counseling, shelter and compensation for lost wages. Attorneys general from states including California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island say those funds help about 10 million people annually. In 2025, nearly $1.4 billion in such funding is available, the lawsuit said. But under a new Trump administration policy, states can lose out on such funding if they decline to provide U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to facilities or honor all civil immigration enforcement requests, the lawsuit said. The conditions were imposed in keeping with a policy Attorney General Pam Bondi unveiled in February requiring the Justice Department to ensure that federal funds do not flow to so-called "sanctuary jurisdictions" that do not cooperate with ICE. The states' lawsuit argues that such conditions are unlawful and violate the U.S. Constitution by undermining Congress' power over appropriations. They are asking a judge to block the Justice Department from enforcing the conditions. Judges in Rhode Island have issued a series of rulings preventing the administration from imposing conditions on grant funding that align with Trump's broader agenda. Most recently, a judge in the state this month barred the Justice Department from enforcing new restrictions on grant funding used to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Newsweek
3 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Trump Administration Pulls Visas for 6,000 Students
Student and family examining a Harvard College Orientation map in Harvard Yard at start of a new academic year. In the background is the University Hall building with the John Harvard Statue in front of it, August 27, 2024. Student and family examining a Harvard College Orientation map in Harvard Yard at start of a new academic year. In the background is the University Hall building with the John Harvard Statue in front of... Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Over 6,000 international students have had their visas pulled in 2025 by the Trump administration, Fox News Digital reported Monday. The visas were pulled for various reasons including overstays, law violations, and supporting terrorism, according to the report. In April, the administration announced it had already yanked the 1,000 student visas, Newsweek previously reported. The administration has previously stated that it would revoke visas for foreign students linked to what it calls pro-Hamas activities, including involvement in campus protests and distributing materials such as flyers. Newsweek has reached out to the Department of State via email Monday for more information. This is a breaking news story. Updates to come.
Newsweek
3 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Iran Issues New War Warning: 'Any Moment'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iran warned on Monday that a new conflict with Israel could erupt at any moment, signaling a dramatic escalation in tensions months after a deadly 12-day confrontation in June. Yahya Rahim Safavi, senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, emphasized the need for full preparedness, saying, "A new war with Israel could break out at any moment. We must be strong and prepared," according to Iranian media. Newsweek reached out the Iran and Israel's Foreign Ministries for comment. Why It Matters Safavi's warning underscores the fragility of the ceasefire and the ongoing risk of renewed conflict. The June confrontation caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, with Israeli strikes hitting Iranian nuclear facilities and senior military command centers. The United States, coordinating with Israel, targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, while Iran retaliated with an attack on an American air base and missile strikes against Israeli targets. The involvement of both nations highlights the conflict's international reach and implications for regional stability and U.S. operations. General Hossein Salami, second right, salutes as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, arrives at a graduation ceremony of the Revolutionary Guard's officers in Tehran, Iran, on May 20, 2015. General Hossein Salami, second right, salutes as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, arrives at a graduation ceremony of the Revolutionary Guard's officers in Tehran, Iran, on May 20, 2015. Office of the IranianWhat To Know "We are not in a ceasefire; we are in a stage of war. No protocol, regulation, or agreement has been written between us and the U.S. or Israel," Safavi said. He stressed that Iran must "be prepared for the worst-case scenario," emphasizing that the country's armed forces and government need to remain fully ready for any situation, highlighting the importance of military vigilance amid persistent regional tensions. Divergent Views His remarks stand in contrast to statements from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who told state television that he does not expect an Israeli attack in the near future, reflecting differing views within Iran's leadership on the likelihood of renewed conflict. "As an international relations expert, I am not of the opinion that war will happen in the near future," he said. Araghchi also suggested Israel aims to shape public perception by signaling the threat of war. People sit next to remains of an Iranian missile that fell at the settlement of Neria near Ramallah, in the West Bank, on June 29, 2025, in the aftermath of the 12-day war between Israel... People sit next to remains of an Iranian missile that fell at the settlement of Neria near Ramallah, in the West Bank, on June 29, 2025, in the aftermath of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. MoreIsraeli Response Meanwhile, Israeli chief of staff Eyal Zamir has issued a counter-threat, asserting readiness to strike Iran again. Speaking at a military ceremony, he said, "We are ready to attack again when necessary," describing the June conflict as "a preemptive war aimed at eliminating an existential threat before it becomes a real danger." 12-Day War The 12-day war began on June 13, when Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities and military command centers, killing several senior officers as well as nuclear scientists. Iran's Health Ministry reported 606 civilian deaths and 5,332 wounded, while Israeli officials said retaliatory strikes killed 31 and injured about 3,000. The U.S. entered the conflict on June 22, hitting nuclear sites in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan; Iran responded by attacking the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar before President Donald Trump declared a ceasefire on June 24. Israel's incoming military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, places notes in the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 5, 2025. Israel's incoming military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, places notes in the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on March 5, People Are Saying Senior Military Adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Yahya Rahim Safavi: "We must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. There is no protocol between us and Israel and the U.S. There is no cease-fire. A new war with Israel could break out at any moment. We must be strong and prepared." Israeli chief of staff Eyal Zamir: "We are ready to attack again when necessary." Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi: "As an international relations expert, I am not of the opinion that war will happen in the near future. The armed forces must always be prepared, and the government must be fully prepared for any possible situation. Being prepared is the most effective factor in preventing war." What Happens Next Even with a ceasefire in place, the possibility of renewed hostilities remains. Regional allies and the U.S. continue to monitor developments, while Iranian and Israeli leaders emphasize readiness, leaving the Middle East on high alert.
