Protesters gather in Jerusalem demanding end to Gaza offensive

A few hundred additional demonstrators later joined them, demanding an end to the fighting and the safe return of hostages.

The protest came as Israel pressed ahead with a major ground offensive in Gaza City that has forced nearly 250,000 Palestinians to flee, according to the United Nations. Large parts of the city have already been destroyed in earlier raids, and hundreds of thousands remain trapped. Four Israeli soldiers were killed by an explosive device during an operation in Rafah, marking the first casualties since the new offensive began.

The war has killed at least 65,141 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and 460 Israeli soldiers since the ground invasion began in October 2023. Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251 on 7 October. Israel believes around 20 of the 48 remaining hostages are still alive.