...TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JUNE 28, 2025: Thousands of Israelis gathered outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv on Saturday (June 28), calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the immediate return of hostages. Protesters carried banners, waved Israeli flags, and held up photos of the hostages during the demonstration. Israel estimates that 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive, while over 10,400 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons, facing torture, starvation and medical neglect, leading to numerous deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups and media reports. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich oppose any deal to end the war, threatening to topple the government if a ceasefire is reached. The Israeli opposition and hostage families accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war to appease his far-right coalition partners for personal political gain, particularly to maintain power. The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 56,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.