Thousands protest in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu over October 7 failures

Thousands protested in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, demanding accountability for the security failures that enabled the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. The demonstration occurred three days before Israel's general election. Organized by the October Council, a group founded by victims' families and hostages' relatives, the rally sought an independent state commission of inquiry into the attack. Opinion polls show a tight race between Netanyahu's right-wing bloc and rival Gadi Eisenkot's alliance, with neither projected to secure a parliamentary majority. Protesters marched from Rabin Square to Hostages Square, a focal point for past anti-government demonstrations. The October Council warned police of potential provocations from pro-government agitators, while Netanyahu's government has rejected an independent inquiry, offering instead a political commission that opposition leaders have vowed to boycott.