Thousands protest in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu three days before Israeli election

Thousands demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, three days before the parliamentary election. The protest was called by the October Council, a group of relatives of victims and hostages from the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, who accuse his government of failure. The demonstrators demand political consequences, with one protester stating that the government has done a "terrible job" and that Israel has never been in such a situation. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, seeks another term after leading the country into a multi-front war involving Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. The election outcome is open, with pollsters seeing no majority for either political bloc. Meanwhile, Netanyahu announced plans to prepare for possible international bank sanctions by considering cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, though full restrictions on Israel's banking system have not yet been imposed.