Tel Aviv [Israel], September 3 (ANI/TPS): Protests demanding the release of hostages held in Gaza escalated in Jerusalem on Wednesday, even as Israel’s military began mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists for a major offensive into Gaza City, Hamas’s last stronghold.
Families of the 48 remaining hostages abducted during Hamas’s October 7 attack organized demonstrations across the capital, setting fire to garbage bins and occupying buildings near the Knesset, the National Library, and the residences of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. Police reported damage to vehicles near Netanyahu’s home after activists torched trash bins and tires, though no injuries were reported. Emergency crews extinguished the flames and evacuated nearby residents.
The most dramatic scenes occurred at the National Library, where protesters barricaded themselves on the roof and unfurled banners reading “Neglect and killing” alongside Netanyahu’s photograph. Dozens more gathered in the garden below. Police Commissioner Daniel Levy ordered commanders to restore order, stressing that while peaceful protest is permitted, violent actions would not be tolerated.
Government officials issued sharp rebukes. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the incidents “terrorism,” while Justice Minister Yariv Levin said, “What is happening this morning has one name — terrorism.” Education Minister Yoav Kisch added that torching citizens’ cars “doesn’t serve the return of the hostages — only anarchy.”
The protest group “Brothers in Arms” accused the government of prioritizing politics over lives, saying Dermer bore responsibility for the failure to secure a deal for the hostages’ return. Earlier, mothers of combat soldiers blocked roads at Jerusalem’s entrance, calling for an end to the war to save both hostages and troops.
The unrest coincided with Israel’s military preparing for an expanded campaign in Gaza. Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel Defense Forces’ chief of staff, told reservists at the Nachshonim Base, “Hamas will have no place to hide from us… We are going to intensify and deepen our operation. We are already entering places that have not been entered until now and are acting there with force.”
The IDF has begun mobilizing about 130,000 reservists and five regular divisions for the campaign, with an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 reporting this week and additional waves planned through 2026. Two divisions already in Gaza have started encircling Gaza City, while brigades mass in staging areas nearby.
Reservists, many of whom have faced repeated call-ups since October 7, will be deployed both in Gaza and to replace standing troops elsewhere. The Knesset recently authorized the military to summon up to 430,000 soldiers under emergency orders renewed every few months.
Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israeli border communities killed approximately 1,200 people and resulted in 252 hostages being taken. Of the 48 still held, about 20 are believed to be alive. (ANI/TPS)
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