Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv today, Saturday, in protest against the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just three days before the scheduled elections in the country, which are widely seen as a referendum on his leadership.
The protests were called by the "October Council," a group established by the families of hostages from the events of October 7, 2023, aimed at demanding accountability for the failures that prevented the thwarting of the attack launched by Hamas and ignited the war in the Gaza Strip, according to AFP.
The "October Council" stated on the "X" platform that it will organize the final event of its three-year campaign, demanding truth disclosure, accountability, and the formation of an official inquiry committee.
Prominent figures from opposition parties are expected to participate in the protest, as polls have shown a close electoral competition between Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, which has been in power since late 2022, and the main challenger coalition led by center-right Gadi Eisenkot.
Current estimates do not indicate that either camp can garner a majority of Knesset seats, according to the agency.
The "October Council" also warned law enforcement entities of possible provocations targeting the gathering, noting that it sent an urgent letter to the police commissioner after receiving warnings about attempts by affiliates of the ruling coalition to obstruct the protest scheduled for Saturday evening.
The demonstration occurs in the context of ongoing campaigns led by civil society activists and opposition parties calling for the formation of an independent inquiry committee into the security failures preceding the October 7, 2023 attack.
Netanyahu's government rejected the formation of an independent inquiry committee and instead proposed establishing a committee where the ruling coalition would appoint half of its members, while opposition deputies would choose the other half.