Demonstrations demand a deal to bring back prisoners from Gaza and set fire around Netanyahu's house.

This morning, Wednesday, Israeli protests renewed, demanding a deal to return the prisoners and stop the war in the Gaza Strip. Families of Israeli prisoners launched demonstrations in West Jerusalem to demand an agreement that would bring back the prisoners from Gaza.

Channel 12 reported that protesters "are blocking the entrance to the Knesset with their cars, demanding an agreement to return the prisoners and stop the war." The Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that demonstrators demanding an end to the war and the return of prisoners are on the roof of the "National Library" near the Knesset.

Families of Israeli prisoners accused the government and its head, Benjamin Netanyahu, of avoiding discussions on the mediators' proposal and continuing a "political war without goals or justifications." Protesters set fire to garbage containers near Netanyahu's home in West Jerusalem as part of protests demanding an agreement to return the prisoners from Gaza.

Mothers of prisoners and Israeli soldiers also demonstrated at the entrance to Jerusalem, calling for an end to the war and the return of all hostages. They brought with them a model of a coffin wrapped in an Israeli flag, indicating that the continuation of the war would cost the Israeli army more lives.

Protesters also hung banners bearing Netanyahu's image, who has been accused of negligence that led to the October 7 attack and the killing of prisoners, according to them. For his part, Israeli Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben Gvir stated that "the terrorist fires near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's house are happening with the support of the legal advisor who wants to burn the state."

Israel estimates that Hamas has 48 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, including 20 alive, compared to more than 10,800 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, many of whom suffer from torture and medical neglect according to human rights and media reports.

Hamas had agreed on August 18 to a mediators' proposal for a partial ceasefire and prisoner exchange, but Israel has not officially responded despite it matching a previous proposal that Tel Aviv had accepted.

Instead, Netanyahu is pushing for the option of occupying Gaza under the pretext of releasing the prisoners and defeating the movement, amid skepticism from opponents, former officials, and even the army, which considered the operation a danger to the lives of the prisoners.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that the anticipated Israeli military operation to occupy the city of Gaza could cost between 20 and 25 billion shekels ($5.9-7.3 billion). The authority added that the National Security Council and the Ministry of Finance have discussed in recent days the necessity of increasing the defense budget in light of the operation, amid expectations that the government will approve amendments that include cutting budgets for other ministries in favor of the Ministry of Defense.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a genocidal war on Gaza with American support, which has so far resulted in 63,633 martyrs and 160,914 injured Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and famine that has claimed the lives of 361 Palestinians, including 130 children.