Updated Sep 1, 2024 - World

In photos: Thousands protest in Israel to demand Gaza deal

Rebecca Falconer

An Israel protester carries a poster reading in Hebrew "Netanyahu's Legacy" at a mass demonstration condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza on September 1, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. — A protester in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sept. 1 carries a poster reading in Hebrew "Netanyahu's Legacy" at a mass demonstration condemning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza. Photo: David Silverman/Getty Images

Thousands of protesters rallied across Israel over Sunday night after the IDF announced it had recovered the bodies of six hostages from Rafah, Gaza.

The big picture: The protests came as the White House said that national security adviser Jake Sullivan held a virtual meeting with families of U.S. hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and ahead of Israeli labor union Histadrut calling a general strike for Monday to protest the Netanyahu government and demand an immediate hostage release and ceasefire deal.

Israeli protestors condemn Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for deliberately ignoring the fate of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza to secure his own political survival on September 1, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. — Thousands of protesters rally in Tel Aviv. Sullivan discussed with families of U.S. hostages news of the six hostages killed by Hamas, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, per a White House pool report. Photo: David Silverman/Getty Images

Thousands of Israelis protesting against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for not signing the ceasefire agreement with Gaza in Tel Aviv, Israel on September 01, 2024. — Tensions between the Israeli police and protesters in Tel Aviv rise on Sept. 1. Sullivan outlined in Sunday's meeting "the ongoing diplomatic push across the highest levels of the U.S. government to drive towards a deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages" and the Biden administration's "deep commitment to bring the families' loved ones home as soon as possible," per a pool report. Photo: Mustafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images

Protesters gather to demand a Gaza hostages deal on September 1, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. After the bodies of six Israeli kidnap victims were recovered from tunnels beneath Gaza overnight, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called for public protests in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. — Protesters rally in Tel Aviv on Sept. 1. Hostage families hope Monday's strike will help to mobilize mass protests and press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to drop his new demand that Israel Defense Forces remain deployed along the Egypt-Gaza border — a major sticking point in the negotiations, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Photo: Amir Levy/Getty Images

Protesters face Israeli Police officers during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, on a highway in Tel Aviv on September 1, 2024. — Israeli police officers with protesters during a rally in Tel Aviv on Sept. 1. Protesters accuse Netanyahu of deliberately ignoring the fate of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza to secure his own political survival. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters, wearing a yellow blindfold, sit on the ground during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, in Tel Aviv on September 1, 2024. — Protesters in Tel Aviv on Sept. 1, wearing a yellow blindfold, sit on the ground as they call for the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters face Israeli Equestrian Police officers during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, in Tel Aviv on September 1, 2024. — Protesters face Israeli equestrian police officers in Tel Aviv on Sept. 1 during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza since October. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

A protester in Tel Aviv, wearing a mask depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raises his hands wearing gloves with red paint, during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza since October on Sunday, Sept. 1. — A protester in Tel Aviv, wearing a mask depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raises his hands wearing gloves with red paint, during an anti-government rally on Sept. 1. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters set tree branches on fire as they block Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, on September 1, 2024. — Protesters set tree branches on fire as they block Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway during an anti-government rally on Sept. 1. Photo: Oren Ziv/AFP via Getty Images

Protesters carry symbolic coffins during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, in Tel Aviv on September 1. — Protesters in Tel Aviv carry symbolic coffins during a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas on Sept. 1. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Thousands of protesters lift flags and placards during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October, in Tel Aviv on September 1, 2024 — Thousands of protesters rally in Tel Aviv on Sept. 1. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli security forces intervene as relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants, block a major road during a protest in central Jerusalem on September 1, 2024. — Israeli security forces intervene as relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages taken captive in Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas militants, block a major road during a protest in central Jerusalem on Sept. 1. Photo: Ahmad Gharbali/AFP via Getty Images

A woman crosses her wrists in front of Israeli security forces standing guard during a protest by relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants, outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on September 1. — A protester stands in front of Israeli security forces during the Jerusalem protests. Photo: Ahmad Gharbali/AFP via Getty Images

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants, carry pictures of Hersh Goldberg-Polin (L), Almog Sarusi (C) and Alexander Lubanov as they protest outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on September 1. — Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages taken captive in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants, carry pictures of Hersh Goldberg-Polin (left), Almog Sarusi (center) and Alexander Lobanov as they protest outside the prime minister's office in Jerusalem on Sept. 1. Photo: Ahmad Gharbali/AFP via Getty Images

Go deeper: Biden is considering presenting final Gaza deal proposal within days

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos and further details from the protests and from national security adviser Jake Sullivan's virtual meeting with the families of U.S. hostages.

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In photos: Thousands protest in Israel to demand Gaza deal

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