Relatives of hostages and their supporters hold flags during a protest calling on the government to sign a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
Several thousand people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening in favor of a negotiated solution for the release of Israeli hostages held by the militant Islamist group Hamas.
There was also loud criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calls for new elections. Protesters held banners and signs aloft reading "Negotiate now, resign later."
The father of one of the Israeli hostages criticized that the government's own survival seemed more important than the hostages.
He called on the government to agree to a ceasefire in exchange for the return of the hostages.
