Demonstrations Intensify Around key Government Buildings

A “day of disorders” began early this morning in Jerusalem, with demonstrators calling for the liberation of hostages and an immediate end to the ongoing war.Protesters initiated the⁢ demonstrations around 6:30 AM local time (5:30 AM in Italy) by setting fire to several bins near the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin⁣ Netanyahu, attempting to create a “fire ring” around the property.
⁣ One fire reportedly came within ⁢100 meters of the prime Minister’s official residence.

Leaders of the protest include Anat Engerst, mother of kidnapped⁣ matan, and Vicky Cohen, mother of Nimrod. While the events began spontaneously, a scheduled demonstration was planned at the Knesset at noon.

Police Respond to Fires and Evacuate residents

‍ Jerusalem police reported that bins⁣ and tires ⁤were set ablaze,‍ causing damage to several cars in the Rehavia (the premier residence area) and Givat Ram neighborhoods. Residents in nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution, but no injuries were reported. Firefighters successfully extinguished the fires.

Protests Target Minister Dermer and National Library

Demonstrations extended to the home of Minister ‍Ron Dermer, where protesters-including‍ members of the “brothers and sisters in arms” group-accused ‍him of failing to secure the return of any ⁤hostages through negotiations. Demonstrators described the negotiations as a “total failure” and accused the government of yielding to the extreme right and rejecting a truce proposal accepted by Hamas.

In a separate ⁢incident, individuals barricaded themselves inside the National Library of Jerusalem and⁤ ascended to the roof. Police are currently negotiating with⁢ them to safely de-escalate the situation and have them come‍ down. The protests are also spreading to the area surrounding the knesset.