JERUSALEM, Israel: Hundreds  of thousands of Israelis have staged one of the largest demonstrations since the Gaza war began, demanding a deal to free hostages still held by Hamas.

Organizers claimed that hundreds of thousands of people participated nationwide on Sunday, blocking highways, gathering outside ministers' homes, and lighting bonfires in protest. Police arrested 38 people, while some restaurants and theaters shut in solidarity.

Families of hostages accused the government of sacrificing their loved ones for political survival. "We live between a terrorist organization that holds our children and a government that refuses to release them for political reasons," said Yehuda Cohen, whose son is in captivity. Of the 50 hostages believed to remain, only about 20 are thought to be alive.

The protests come amid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's preparations for a fresh military offensive in Gaza's most densely populated areas, raising fears that hostages could be put at greater risk. The plan would require recalling thousands of reservists, adding to public unease. Former Israeli military and intelligence leaders have joined calls for a negotiated deal.

But Netanyahu has resisted, warning that ending the war without defeating Hamas would embolden the group and endanger Israel's security. His coalition partners, particularly far-right ministers, have threatened to bring down the government if he agrees to a ceasefire. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich denounced the demonstrations as "a harmful campaign that plays into Hamas' hands."

Protesters also carried images of starving Palestinian children—rare in Israeli demonstrations until recently—as outrage grows over Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe. The enclave's health ministry says more than 61,900 people have been killed since the war began, nearly half of them women and children, with at least 250 deaths linked to malnutrition. The U.N. has warned of famine-level conditions, as aid trickles in far below the population's needs.

On August 17, Al-Awda hospital reported three killed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij refugee camp. The same day, Gaza officials said two children and five adults died from hunger-related causes. Israel disputes the casualty figures but has not provided alternatives.

With frustration mounting at home and abroad, Netanyahu faces growing pressure to choose between escalating the war and negotiating a deal that could free the remaining hostages.

On  Tuesday, Hamas announced it was prepared to accept the latest ceasefire proposal which would end Israel's military operations for 60 days, and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip. Half the hostages would be released and a number of Palestinian prisoners would also be released. It is unclear whether Israel will abide by the agreement now that Hamas has accepted it.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent to continue the war and destroy Hamas. Four days ago he addressed the Independence Day Reception in Jerusalem hosted by Newsmax in which he ratcheted up his rhetoric on Hamas, referring to the 7 October 2023 attacks.

"And they went into the town of Sweida, and they butchered the men, they raped the women, the nurses, and then shot them. They burnt babies. And they added a few things. They added, and you saw it live, and you have to see it to understand this," he said. "I mean, you see a Druze civilian wounded lying on the ground. And one of these fanatics, these unbelievable savages, they go in, knife the guy, tear out his heart and then eat it. And it takes a few seconds for death to come. So the victim has his heart eaten while he's still alive. "

"This is savagery. This is barbarism. This is what Israel is fighting on behalf of Western civilization," Mr Netanyahu told the Newsmax audience. 

On Tuesday the death toll of Palestinians killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023 surpassed 62,000.