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MADRID Jan. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Jerusalem this Tuesday to protest against the possible ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, despite the fact that it would allow the release of hostages held captive by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) since the October 7, 2023.
The majority of attendees belong to the Israeli religious Zionist community, according to the local press, which states that among the main demands of the protesters stands out the reproach to the Government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “surrendering” to the Islamist group.
“We will not forget, we will not forgive. You do not have the mandate to surrender to Hamas,” denounced a young man, loudspeaker in hand; while the general cry of the attendees is that “a released terrorist is the murderer of tomorrow.” The Police are deployed in the area but without acting.
This demonstration occurs after this Tuesday a group of relatives of soldiers killed in Gaza also held a protest near the prime minister’s office. There, a relative of a dead soldier has accused Netanyahu of “speaking to the sons of darkness”, alluding to the negotiations with Hamas.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out an unprecedented offensive against Israeli territory in which it killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped another 240. Israel, for its part, launched a bloody military campaign in Gaza that leaves more than 46,600 dead, including a large part of the Islamist group’s leadership.
The parties have barely reached agreements throughout all these months except for one at the end of 2023 that allowed a one-week ceasefire, as well as the release of a hundred hostages in exchange for three times as many Palestinian prisoners. Now, Israel and Hamas have returned to the dialogue table and there is speculation about the signing of an agreement.
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