On Thursday evening, outside the cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, thousands of protesters rallied against the move to expand the occupation The protesters called for a deal to end the war and the release of all the hostages. In Tel-Aviv, police arrested 10 protesters as thousands gathered in front of the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv and blocked Ayalon Highway to demand a hostage deal and the end of the war. Protest groups said two of the protesters were minors. Demonstrations against war take place across Israel in Herzliya, Haifa, Karkur junction, Hod Hasharon, Rosh HaAyin, Kfar Sava, Beer Sheva, Raanana, Naveh Ilan, Ha’ogen junction, Gome junction, Yesod Hama’ala, Rosh Pina, Beit Hashita, Horfish, Tzemach, Yannai junction and other localities

Around 300 architects and planners have signed on Friday petition titled “Stop the Destruction – Yes to Rebuilding Gaza”. “We express deep shock at the acts of destruction, killing, starvation and mass deportation from cities and civilian areas in the Gaza Strip,” they wrote. “We cannot forget Hamas’ horrific crimes on October 7 – acts of massacre, destruction and the abduction of civilians from border communities. But those atrocities do not justify indiscriminate harming of civilians, women and children or the near-total destruction of the Gaza Strip.”

On Thursday, Israeli cultural organizations issued a statement condemning “attacks on the very idea of free culture” after some 1,000 Israeli artists and authors were criticized for signing a petition called “Stop the Horror in Gaza.” The petition called for an end to the war and the safe return of hostages. It also accused Israel of causing starvation and urged soldiers not to follow illegal orders or commit war crimes. Signed by organizations including the Association of Museums and ICOM Israel, the Israeli Directors’ Guild, and the Israeli Actors’ Association, the statement said, “In recent weeks, we have witnessed a troubling wave of threats and attacks against creators, cultural organizations, and Israeli artworks.”