Protests rock Israel in bid to stop suffering
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/protests-rock-israel-bid-stop-suffering
Demonstrators block a road during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, near Jerusalem, Israel, Aug. 17Thousands strike to ‘save hostages and stop military escalation’ in Gaza
POLICE in Israel blasted protesters with water cannon and made dozens of arrests today as they clamped down on a one-day nationwide strike that disrupted transport and businesses across Israel.
The protests took place as Israel announced its intention to move Palestinians from combat zones to southern Gaza as plans move ahead for a widely slammed military offensive in some of the territory’s most populated areas.
The “day of stoppage” in Israel on Sunday was organised by two groups representing some of the families of hostages and the bereaved.
About 90 municipalities — Tel Aviv Yaffo the largest — three universities, the entire Kibbutzim movement, the lawyers’ bar, numerous high-tech companies, several small unions in the medical, legal and journalism fields and countless private businesses joined the strike.
The police clampdown comes as protesters demand an end to fighting they believe endangers the 20 hostages seized by Hamas on October 7 2023 believed to still be alive in captivity.
Protesters chanted: “We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages” as they gathered at dozens of points throughout Israel, including outside politicians’ homes, military headquarters and on major highways, where they were sprayed with water cannon as they blocked lanes and lit bonfires.
Among the protesters in Tel Aviv was a woman carrying a photo of an emaciated child from Gaza. Such images were once rare at Israeli demonstrations, but have now begun to appear more often.
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