Leader of the Israeli opposition, Yair Lapid, urged the government to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip and work out a plan with Palestinian factions to ensure the release of the hostages on Sunday.
“We need to stop the war, strike a deal, and bring the hostages home,” Lapid stated to Israeli Army Radio.
“Our army, which depends on reserve forces, is not equipped for this kind of warfare, and Israel has always opposed protracted wars,” he continued. Tens of thousands of Israelis have been calling for early elections and a hostage exchange deal during weeks-long protests in Tel Aviv and other cities.
“Leader of the Israeli Opposition demands a ceasefire in Gaza”
However, Netanyahu’s reluctance to accede to Hamas’s demands to end the war has caused these efforts to stall. Following an attack on October 7, 2023, by the Palestinian organisation Hamas, Israel has been under international criticism for continuing its brutal offensive on Gaza in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Since then, over 38,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have died, and over 87,000 more have been injured, according to local health authorities.
(AA)
