Israel experiences another day of protests demanding the return of the hostages.

BarcelonaIsrael is experiencing a day of nationwide protests today, called by the families of the hostages held in Gaza. Since early morning, several demonstrations have begun in different parts of the country, with gatherings at roadside intersections and larger events planned in Tel Aviv in the afternoon. In Jerusalem, a group of relatives unfurled a large flag in front of the US Embassy, a symbol of the outcry that the families of the hostages wish to project both inside and outside Israel.

The so-called Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons has been the main driving force behind this new day of actions, aiming to maintain pressure on the government to finally reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the return of the hostages. According to data held by this organization, at least twenty people held by Hamas could still be alive, while around thirty bodies remain to be returned.

The families are once again appealing directly to US President Donald Trump to intervene in the negotiations and help unblock an agreement that would allow for the repatriation of the hostages. In statements on Monday night from the Oval Office, while appearing with the President of South Korea, Trump said that within "two or three weeks" there could be a "forcefully conclusive" outcome to the war in Gaza. His words have been read by many as a possible opening towards an imminent ceasefire, although the tycoon often says one thing and then does the opposite in a very short space of time.

The new day of protests follows another massive one that took place on August 17. According to reports from The Times of IsraelAround a million people took part in demonstrations across the country, with hundreds of thousands gathering in Tel Aviv.

A decision that drags on

Meanwhile, the Israeli security cabinet is scheduled to meet in the coming hours. However, according to local media reports on Tuesday, the meeting may not address the issue. the latest proposal for a 60-day truce, already accepted by Hamas and put forward by international mediators Egypt and Qatar. The proposal would include the release of approximately half of the hostages in exchange for a temporary cessation of hostilities.

However, sources cited by Keshet 12, one of the country's commercial television channels, claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not plan to submit this alternative for debate because the government is now advocating a different strategy: reaching a comprehensive agreement that would allow for the return of all the hostages at once and that also sets the conditions. In practice, this position means that the war, the systematic destruction of the Gaza Strip, and the progressive expulsion of Palestinians from their territory continue.

The official position clashes with the growing impatience of the families, who believe that time is against the still-living hostages and demand concrete and immediate steps. It also clashes with the opinion of the Israeli Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, who on Monday He again urged the government to accept the truce with HamasThere is "an agreement on the table" for the hostages, and the decision is in the hands of the prime minister, he said, as reported by Channel 13. The families are calling for a settlement and an end to the war. Today's protests, therefore, are intended to be a warning to the Israeli government and a call to the international community to increase pressure and expedite an agreement that, for the moment, remains stalled.

Tuesday's day of protests reportedly had a prologue in an event that took place this Monday in Jerusalem. A 27-year-old man was arrested for allegedly painting the graffiti "There is a Holocaust in Gaza" on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's main holy sites. According to police, the suspect was located near the church with a spray can after an alert was received. The investigation revealed that he had already been arrested two weeks ago for similar graffiti on the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site. The young man was released on parole. Authorities will now ask the court to extend his detention while the investigation continues, according to the Efe news agency.