Thousands of Israelis protest against Netanyahu as ceasefire talks stall

Tens of thousands of Israelis protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Sunday night, accusing him of stalling negotiations and not doing enough to release hostages held by Hamas.

Protesters on Sunday said that their demonstration was the largest ever against Netanyahu since Israel’s war on Gaza broke out.

They blocked one of the main highways in Jerusalem, while police used water cannons against them.

The protesters called for early elections and accused Netanyahu of working in his own personal interest rather than to free the hostages, demanding a deal.

“UR the boss, UR to blame,” read a slogan on signs held by some protesters.

The protests continued with a sit-in outside the Israeli Knesset on Monday, with hundreds of tents erected outside. The sit-in is due to last for four days.

"We believe that no hostages will come back with this government because they're busy putting sticks in the wheels of negotiations for the hostages," Boaz Atzili, whose cousin was captured by Hamas in the 7 October surprise attack, told Sky News.

Around 250 Israelis were captured by Hamas and taken to Gaza on October 7. Many were released in a previous truce but around 130 remain in Gaza, of whom 33 are believed to be dead.

Israel’s indiscriminate war on Gaza has killed at least 32,782 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, and left the territory in ruins.

Negotiations for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that would see the release of hostages have stalled several times in recent weeks, with Netanyahu vowing to “eliminate” Hamas and proceed with a ground invasion of Rafah, where most of the Gaza Strip’s population have fled to.

Hamas on Sunday did not confirm that it would send a delegation to Cairo to take part in negotiations, saying that Netanyahu was not serious.

It has demanded an Israeli withdrawal from towns and cities in the Gaza Strip and the return of the population of northern Gaza in exchange for a truce.