Israeli protesters march to demand prisoner swap deal, early election

Hundreds of Israelis have demonstrated in the city of Rehovot, near Tel Aviv, demanding a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

Hundreds of Israelis protested on Saturday at the intersection of the Science Park in the city, calling for a prisoner swap deal, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

According to the newspaper, the demonstrators also called on the government to return authority to the people and hold early elections.

Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been trying for months to secure a truce and the release of 120 remaining hostages in Gaza, but to no avail.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel, however, argues it will accept only temporary pauses in the war and wants to end the governance capabilities of the group.

US President Joe Biden announced a three-phase truce plan in May, which includes the gradual release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the pullback of Israeli forces. It also envisages the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and the reconstruction of Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an October 7 attack by Hamas.

More than 38,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 88,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.