Israeli police arrest 9 people over demonstration against war on Gaza

By Said Amori and Rania Abu Shamala

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli police arrested nine people Thursday for taking part in a protest in the northern city of Haifa against Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Police forcibly dispersed what they called an "illegal" demonstration and arrested nine participants, Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported.

The protesters carried signs condemning the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Gaza, which have been ongoing since Oct. 7, 2023.

The demonstrators represented a small and marginal current within Israeli society consisting mostly of left-wing activists and opponents of government policies.

Meanwhile, opinion polls and statements by Israeli officials indicate that the majority of the public supports the continuation of the war in Gaza, with many linking its end to the return of hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas.​​​​​​​

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 53,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.