‘Week of disruption’: Arrests and injuries at Israeli anti-government protests | News on the Israel-Palestine conflict

Thousands more are taking part in nationwide demonstrations against the Gaza war and the failure of negotiations to release prisoners.

Al Jazeera reports from outside Israel because the Israeli government has banned the channel.

At least nine people were arrested during anti-government protests in Jerusalem. In light of Israel’s war against Gaza and the fighting with Hezbollah, more demonstrations are expected in the coming days.

On Monday evening, clashes broke out between police and demonstrators near the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to Israeli media reports, one of those arrested was a family member of an Israeli prisoner held in Gaza.

The demonstrators are demanding new elections, a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an agreement on the release of prisoners held in the Palestinian enclave.

“We are dying because of you, get out of our lives,” read one of the protesters’ signs, which featured a photo of Netanyahu and bloody handprints.

Police used water cannon against the protesters. Three people were reportedly taken to hospital for treatment, including a paramedic wearing a protective vest who suffered an eye injury.

Since the current conflict began in October, Israelis have gathered in Tel Aviv every Saturday night, but this week tens of thousands flocked to Jerusalem. Opposition leader Yair Lapid joined the protesters outside the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

Organizers of the anti-government protests called for a “week of disruption.”

They also called on local authorities and business leaders to join the protests with the aim of holding elections before the first anniversary of the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on October 7.

On Monday, families of Israeli prisoners took part in one of the parliamentary committees and said they had had enough of the lack of leadership and decision-making.

Pressure is growing on Netanyahu. He dissolved the war cabinet on Monday after his rival Benny Gantz left it together with former army chief Gadi Eisenkot because of the lack of a future plan for Gaza.

Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said the protesters were also protesting against the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in the north, which has forced hundreds of thousands of Israelis to flee for months.

“Both sides have increased the frequency of attacks in recent weeks. The Israelis say they are not afraid of an open conflict with Hezbollah. However, the repatriation date for the evacuated people living in northern Israel has now been postponed to the end of August,” she said.

“There are currently demonstrations by these people against the government. The protesters say there is no plan to counter the relentless fire at the border,” Salhut said.

Amir Oren, a columnist for the Israeli daily Haaretz, said the anger of Israelis displaced from the north toward the government is growing because of eight years of cross-border fighting with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

“Public opinion is now against the Netanyahu government, about three-quarters of the population have had enough of Netanyahu. They want to get rid of him. But there is no way to convert this opinion into parliamentary power because his 64-seat coalition is still intact,” Oren told Al Jazeera.

“As long as there are no cracks in this coalition, the cries of the hostage families and displaced people (in northern Israel) will have no effect.”