Hundreds of Thousands of Israelis Protest, demand a ceasefire agreement
HAVANA TIMES – In Israel, hundreds of thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Tel Aviv and other major cities Sunday after the Israeli army announced it had recovered the bodies of six Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Israel says the hostages were murdered by Hamas; Hamas says they were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The discovery of their deaths prompted Israel’s labor federation to call a general strike to demand a ceasefire agreement that would secure the remaining hostages held by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant despite the protests. On Monday, he insisted he will not agree to any deal unless Israel maintains control of the Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “The ‘axis of evil’ needs the Philadelphi Corridor, and for that reason, we must control the Philadelphi Corridor. Hamas insists for that reason that we not be there, and for that reason, I insist that we be there.”