At rallies across Israel, clashes break out in Tel Aviv between police and protesters demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

CNN — (CNN) — Clashes broke out between police and protesters in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, following rallies earlier that day calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of all hostages, according to several videos posted on social media.

The videos show mounted police and water cannons attempting to disperse crowds refusing to leave Democracy Square in Tel Aviv, leading to violent clashes.

During another protest, police said they arrested two people “for disorderly conduct” after they allegedly left the approved demonstration site at Kaplan Junction and went to Azrieli Junction, “lit fires and began to disregard public order by disobeying police orders.”

“A police officer declared the demonstration illegal and threatened that the police would be forced to take action if the demonstration was not dispersed,” police added in a statement.

The clashes followed anti-government protest marches in several Israeli cities demanding the release of hostages kidnapped during Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7 and parliamentary elections.

According to Israeli authorities, around 250 people were taken hostage in Hamas’ surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7. 1,200 people were killed. Since then, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip in Israel’s retaliatory war against Hamas.

Many of the protesters in the streets of Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rehovot and elsewhere on Saturday targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing his government of corruption and criticizing his handling of the war against Hamas.

The families of current and former hostages also held a rally calling for an immediate resumption of negotiations with Hamas to “advance an agreement that will bring them all back.”

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office estimates that 125 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip following a release agreement in November that freed more than 100 hostages.

Of those still in the Gaza Strip, 121 were abducted on October 7; the other four were detained before the attacks.

The PMO believes that at least 37 of the hostages still in the Gaza Strip are dead.

Negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage exchange will resume on Tuesday, an Egyptian official familiar with the matter told CNN.

The Egyptian official said the talks would take place in Cairo.

An Israeli official familiar with the matter also told CNN that talks should resume next week, but did not specify a location.

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