Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
02 September 2024 | 12:40 p.m. SAST
2-minute read

In ‘Israel’, over 500 000 protesters took to the streets in key cities like Al Quds and Tel Aviv yesterday, calling for Netanyahu to accept a hostage deal.

Israeli police used stun grenades to disperse the crowds, who then blocked traffic on major highways for up to 3 hours yesterday.

In addition to this, a planned general strike by the Histadrut labour federation is currently underway in the region amid growing frustration at the government’s failure to secure the release of hostages.

This comes after the bodies of 6 Israeli prisoners of war were discovered in Gaza. While the causes of their deaths are unknown at present, reports indicate that they were at the top of the list of people who were meant to be released if a ceasefire deal was struck.

This has spurred the largest wave of pressure against the Netanyahu regime since Israel’s onslaught began in October last year.

“For the first time there is some cause to be cautiously optimistic, and we see these kinds of extreme tensions really boiling themselves over after 11 months of this genocide,” Moulana Ebrahim Moosa said during this week’s Palestine Report on Radio Islam International.

While the main objective of protestors remains the release of hostages, analysts indicate that this might either be the end of the Israeli government or lead to a temporary ceasefire deal by the end of the week.

Moulana Moosa also discussed the West Bank, which has witnessed its largest Israeli occupation since the second intifada.

“Some of the crimes that have been recorded in Jenin: mass arrests, blowing up of the homes of civilians, tearing up of roads, Israeli bulldozers going on a frenzy, just tearing up infrastructure in Jenin,” Moulana Moosa said.

The cost of the damage to infrastructure in the West Bank since the intensified assault began there 6 days ago is estimated at $135 million.

Moulana Moosa drew attention to the similarities of attacks on children and hospitals in Jenin and Gaza.

“Just as we’ve seen assaults on hospitals in Gaza, we’re seeing very much the same happening in Jenin. For example, there are more than 50 Palestinians, including 15 children in a particular neighbourhood in Jenin, who have had zero access to food, water and electricity since Wednesday,” Moulana Moosa said.

It remains to be seen whether the recent demonstrations will have positive effects on the West Bank and Gaza.

Listen to the Palestine Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.