Supporters of the hostages protested in Jerusalem, marching towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence to express their anger over the Gaza City takeover plan. Max Kresch, a former soldier, carried a sign stating “I refused.” He mentioned that over 350 soldiers who served during the war are refusing to continue participating in what they view as Netanyahu’s political war. Similar protests occurred across Israel in cities like Haifa, with thousands gathering in Tel Aviv. Israel’s decision to widen its Gaza war has met with criticism from the UN and countries including the UK, France, and Canada, and led Germany to stop military exports to Israel. The Israeli security cabinet’s plan outlines five “principles” for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, taking security control of the area, and creating a civil administration alternative to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
