Israeli Citizens Blame Each Other For Hamas Attacks, PM Netanyahu Says There Will Be No Ceasefire

Protests in front of Prime Minister Netanyahu's residence (Twitter/@TimesNow)

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no ceasefire before Hamas released the entire hostages, as the majority of the country blamed itself for the conflict with the Palestinian militant group.

Israel on Sunday rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, with PM Netanyahu asking all hostages detained by Hamas, about 240 people, to be released.

"There will be no ceasefire without the return of the hostages," Prime Minister Netanyahu said.

Last week, spokesman for the Izzuddin al-Qassam Brigade Brigade, Hamas military wing, Abu Ubaida, said Hamas would only release the hostages if Israel released all Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas can also hold talks about a "partial" agreement on the prisoners, he added.

The day before, protesters staged a protest in front of PM Netanyahu's residence, blaming him for the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, believing he had to resign.

Raising the blue and white Israeli flag and shouting "Penjara now!", hundreds of people broke through the police barrier around Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem.

In Tel Aviv, thousands of people demonstrated, waving flags and holding photos of some prisoners in Gaza and posters with slogans like "free the hostages now however", while the masses chanted, "bringing them home now".

Ofri Bibas-Levy, whose brother and his four-year-old son Ariel, as well as his 10-month-old son Kfir, were held hostage by Hamas, told Reuters he came to show support for his family.

"We don't know where they are, we don't know what conditions they are keeping. I don't know if Kfir gets food, I don't know if Ariel gets enough food. They are still very small," said Bibas-Levy.

Before the conflict in Gaza broke out, protests against PM Netanyahu, including its plans to change the justice system, caused hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets of Israeli cities.

On Saturday, a poll conducted by Channel 13 Television Israel showed 76 percent of Israelis argued that PM Netanyahu, who is now prime minister for the sixth time, had to resign, with 64 percent saying the country should hold elections as soon as war.

When asked who was most guilty of the attack, 44 percent of Israelis blamed PM Netanyahu, while 33 percent blamed chiefs of military staff and senior IDF officials, while 5 percent blamed the Defense Minister.