Protesters clash with Israeli police near Netanyahu’s residence

Protesters clashed with Israeli police outside Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem on Tuesday night as they called for him to step down, according to media reports.

Israel’s public broadcaster Kan aired a video showing dozens of protesters removing police barriers and clashing with officers near Netanyahu’s house.

The police reported in a statement that they removed protesters who attempted to approach the residence, adding that some rioters hurled flares at police officers.

Thousands also demonstrated outside the Knesset, or Israeli parliament, for a third straight day, demanding early elections and a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Hamas, which is believed to be holding nearly 130 Israeli hostages, demands an end to Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip in return for a hostage deal with Tel Aviv.

A previous deal in November last year saw the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 32,900 Palestinians have since been killed and 75,500 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which on Thursday asked it to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.

Israelis accused Netanyahu of trying to use the war to prolong his hold on power, claiming he was prioritizing his political survival over the broader interests of the Israeli people. They also held the prime minister responsible for his government’s failure to prevent the October 7 attack. Netanyahu has also been accused of not doing enough to bring home hostages held by Hamas in the besieged enclave.