Today, Israelis are staging a nationwide day of protests demanding the government agree to a ceasefire hostage deal with Hamas. Protesters are burning tires and blocking major roads in what protest leaders are calling a day of struggle. Families of the hostages want to know why the government hasn't responded to the latest truce proposal that Hamas accepted last week.
As protests erupt in the streets, the Israeli security cabinet just met behind closed doors discussing the expansion of the military operation in Gaza. The security cabinet meeting lasted for just a couple of hours this afternoon in Jerusalem. Key members were missing, including several far-right members that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relies on to hold his government together. There were no substantive discussions or consideration of the ceasefire plan that Hamas accepted over a week ago. Instead, the discussion focused on regional security across the country.
