Israelis protest across country, families of hostages say Netanyahu preferred escalation over deal

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: According to Zionist media sources, the protesters gathered in front of the building of the Ministry of War, demanding an agreement to exchange prisoners in Gaza and hold early elections.

The Zionist media outlet Yediot Aharonot also reported that the Zionist protesters blocked the main road in Tel Aviv, carrying banners and chanting slogans against the regime's inaction over the past 10 months.

There are reports of clashes between the protesters and police forces at some places in Tel Aviv.

Many protesters blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition cabinet to be the main obstacle in the way of the agreement to free the captives held in Gaza.

In recent months, various cities of occupied Palestine have been the scene of such demonstrations against Netanyahu's cabinet.

According to the Palestinian Samaa news agency, the head of Israeli opposition parties has once again criticized Netanyahu's cabinet and called to stop playing tricks when facing the families of Israeli captives.

Yair Lapid said in a statement that the regime should be honest with the families if it is really concerned about the captives.

In this regard, Channel 13 announced that even though all parties are willing to sign a deal with Hamas to prevent a potential regional war, Netanyahu has decided to become indifferent to the issue.

Moshe Ya'alon, a former war minister has reacted to this regime's action, saying the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was actually the killing of an opportunity to release Israeli captives from Gaza.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s office, in a statement on Saturday night asked the regime’s main backer and ally, the United States not to interfere in Israel’s politics.

According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli prime minister's office has claimed that Netanyahu insists on freeing captives dead or alive from Gaza.

The statement followed American media reports that President Joe Biden, in his last phone call with Netanyahu, asked him to act as soon as possible for the prisoner exchange agreement.

Biden also reportedly warned Netanyahu that he should not count on Washington's help to save him if tensions escalate again in the region following the assassination of the Hamas chief.

With repeated statements published by US media, the Biden administration has wanted to show to the world that it had no information about the Israeli assassination plot and had not role in Haniyeh’s killing.

But Iran and regional countries as well as international experts have accused Washington of having its hands in the recent Israeli assassination drive against resistance commanders, arguing that the Zionist regime is incapable of such crimes with the American authorization and greenlight.

Iranian officials have already vowed to avenge at proper time and place the blood of Martyr Haniyeh since he was assassinated on Iranian soil and that the Israeli attack was in violation of the country’s sovereignty./IRNA News