Thousands of people including families of abductees demonstrated in front of the Knesset building

Thousands of people, including families of abductees, demonstrated on Tuesday evening in front of the Knesset building, demanding the release of the abductees and the holding of elections immediately. At the end of the rally, hundreds of demonstrators marched with torches towards the Prime Minister's House and the President's House, and clashes broke out with the police at both locations. The police forcibly evicted protesters who broke through barriers and approached Netanyahu's house, and sprayed skunk liquid on other protesters. At least five protesters were arrested throughout the evening.
In a video from the demonstration, policemen were recorded forcibly dragging Ayala Metzger, the daughter-in-law of the abducted Yoram Metzger, and severely beating a protester who was beating a drum. Metzger called out to Prime Minister Netanyahu: "We trusted you for half a year and nothing happens, you have time and the kidnappers run out of time." Einav Tsengauker, the mother of Matan, who was kidnapped in Gaza, exclaimed in reference to Netanyahu: "Why do we need all the police forces to separate me from you, you are not my prime minister? Of the abductees?".
During the demonstration in front of Netanyahu's house, the police used a stun gun against a protester who was lying under an olive tree and asked to stop her from moving forward. Twenty minutes later, the police forcefully evicted him and arrested him. The police also announced that they opened an investigation after a flaming torch was thrown at a police trooper and hit him. Two other protesters were arrested for "disturbing the order", and that a policeman was injured by an iron fence that was thrown at him and sought medical treatment.
Einav, Matan Tsengauker's mother, gave a harsh speech at the rally against Netanyahu, calling him "a pharaoh who inflicts a plague on us." She slapped the prime minister: "We will continue to persecute you: we will set the country on fire, we will shake the earth, you will not have a day and you will not have a night. As long as my waiting has no day and no night - neither will you." She called him: "You failed, by your hands the blood of 1,400 was murdered, 240 were kidnapped on your watch. You incite against us, your government and your trumpet call us traitors. You are the traitor, you betrayed your people, you betrayed your voters, you betrayed the State of Israel."
Merav Sbirsky, whose parents Orit and Rafi were murdered in Bari and whose brother Itai was kidnapped and murdered in captivity, accused Netanyahu of not wanting to return the abductees: "He must vacate his place now," she said. According to her, "Netanyahu has no interest in returning the abductees - he is doing politics on their backs." Sabirsky added that the massacre on October 7 "was not a natural disaster or fate" but the result of "a promiscuous policy of a kahenist government, headed by a shameless and irresponsible person." According to her, Netanyahu - who normalized Kahanism and the missiles on Gaza - "is now trying to normalize the fact that there are 134 kidnapped Israelis in Gaza... Those who abandoned us now treat us as enemies of the people."
The father of the kidnapped soldier Nimrod Cohen, Yehuda, accused Netanyahu of "maintaining his rule over the suffering of the soldiers and civilians who are held in terrible conditions in the captivity of Hamas", as well as over the "continued abuse and acts of rape of soldiers and women" held by the terrorist organization. Cohen added: "With no choice, we waited and supported the government in the belief that it would do everything to rescue our loved one... when they promised us that the IDF would fight and free our loved one... when they promised us that the IDF would get Hamas to agree to a quick and cheap deal... so far ".
This is the third evening in a row that the demonstrators are holding a protest in front of the Knesset, since the protest tent was set up in front of the tabernacle at the initiative of the organizations "Free in our country", the high-tech protest, Brothers in Arms and other organizations. The protestors are also calling for the cancellation of the Passover break, which Knesset members are leaving for next week. According to them, it is not possible for MKs to go free while the country is at war and 134 abductees are being held captive by Hamas in Gaza.
In the meantime, the police are considering opening a criminal investigation against Knesset member Naama Lazimi following her participation in a protest last Saturday, among other things for blocking roads and lighting a fire. According to a police source, the request came to the Police Investigations and Intelligence Division from the Tel Aviv District Police after Zimi was recorded participating in a bonfire on Begin Road. The police are awaiting the opinion of the investigation division and will later forward their position to the legal advisor to the government, Gali Beharve-Miara, and the prosecutor's office, so that they can make a decision on whether to approve the opening of the investigation.
Lazimi said in response: "If protesting for the abductees is something the police are investigating, prepare for interrogation rooms filled to the brim with a determined public and Knesset members who have not lost their conscience. More importantly: this is a warning light that should worry us all. Every action I took was with the families of the abductees and for their return, and against the lawlessness of the government. I suggest that the police investigate those who deliberately prevent a deal and allow the 134 of our abductees to be killed little by little. Ben Gabir - I'm not afraid of you."