On August 17 hundreds of thousands of protesters were expected in as many as 300 locations across Israel, to demand an end to the fighting in Gaza. The protests were organized by groups representing the families of the hostages, who are demanding a political deal to bring the hostages home and end the war. Recent opinion polls show that nearly 80% of Israelis support such a deal, according to the Wall Street Journal. Protest sites included the homes of political leaders and military headquarters. Protesters blocked many major highways and often lit bonfires. Many universities and businesses, including restaurants, tech companies, and theaters, closed in solidarity. Chants included, “We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages.”
At least one protester carried a poster with a photo of an emaciated Palestinian child from Gaza, as outrage grows over the conditions imposed on civilians in Gaza. Until recently the issue of starvation has not been widely covered by Israeli media, but has gained more traction in recent days. with efforts to expose the genocide in Gaza from human rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel.
