Police informed the organizers, the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, of an ant-war protest march set for today, Saturday, August 23, specifically against the Gaza war and starvation, that he rescinded approval for the march “due to an excess of events” on that day, despite it being previously approved.
Tel Aviv police withdrew approval for the protest named “Stop War, Stop Starvation,” unless the organizers promised to reduce the number of participants from 5,000 to 500. However, leading Communist Party of Israel activist, Mohammed Barakeh, chairman of Israel’s Higher Arab Monitoring Committee said on Friday that the demonstration will be held at 4:00 p.m. at Habima Square in the city.
Palestinians and Israelis protest against war and starvation in Gaza at Beit Jala, in the occupied West Bank, Thursday, August 21, 2025 (Photo: Wisam Haslmaoun/Flash90)
On Friday, thousands of Israelis protesting against war and for a hostage deal, including hostages’ families, held a ceremonial Shabbat dinner at the official residence of Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem, calling for him to “Leave the Shabbat table and go to the negotiating table.” In addition, one activist was arrested after dozens calling for a hostage deal blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv and set up a ceremonial table for Shabbat, lighting a bonfire. Activists also blocked northern Elyakim junction at Route 6. “There will be no Shabbat meal anywhere in the country until everyone’s back and the war ends,” says.
In addition, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum announces plans for a “day of mass public identification” with the captives on Tuesday. Protests will take place across the country, with a central rally set to take place at Hostages Square at 8 p.m. following a march from the nearby Savidor train station, the Forum says. The announcement comes a day after far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed occupied and destroy Gaza City and said he would hold talks on a deal to release all the hostages, prompting criticism hostage families for his failure to address a partial ceasefire-hostage deal that Hamas said it had accepted. “We are in the midst of another premeditated torpedoing of a deal by Netanyahu,” the Forum says in a press release on its new protest plans. “The government is disconnected from the nation and is sacrificing its citizens.”
Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that the occupation army plans “to defeat Hamas” were approved on Thursday, involving “heavy fire, evacuation of residents, and maneuvering.” “Soon the gates of hell will open on the heads of Hamas in Gaza,” he wrote. Katz concluded, “Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun.”
The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that Israel’s strikes in eastern and southern Gaza City are causing high numbers of civilian casualties and large-scale destruction. The office added that Israel has struck a makeshift site for displaced Palestinians in Deir al Balah, which it has been using as an office and guesthouse, and damaged it.
The statement also noted that the hunger and malnutrition suffered by Palestinian children in Gaza are worsening, and that 16,800 people have been displaced across the Strip between August 12 and August 20. According to a new report by the United Nations’ Integrated Food Security Classification agency (IPC), the Gaza Governorate, which comprises of Gaza City and smaller towns, and refugee camps, has the highest level of hunger according to the organization’s index, with half a million people facing catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
This is the first time the IPC, which monitors hunger situations worldwide and is considered the accepted global index in the field, has declared mass starvation in Gaza, the fifth and highest level – famine – according to the index. This is also the first time that a famine of this level has been declared in the Middle East.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32952
