Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv Saturday to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire deal touted by President Joe Biden. The protests took place amidst mounting pressure to come to an agreement with Hamas to bring hostages home. Protestors held signs with slogans such as “Biden save them from Netanyahu,” and “Biden cares more about the hostages than Netanyahu”. There were reports of clashes with police and the use of tear gas during the protests.

The ceasefire deal announced by Biden on Friday would take place in three phases. Biden said that the first phase includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the populated areas in Gaza, the release of several hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of refugees to their homes. Additionally, an influx of humanitarian aid would commence, with 600 trucks delivering daily supplies.

The second phase would focus on negotiating a permanent end to hostilities, ensuring that the ceasefire remains in place as long as talks continue. This phase aims to secure the release of all hostages and provide a complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces. According to Biden, this is conditioned on Hamas accepting the terms.

The final phase involves a significant reconstruction effort in Gaza, supported by the international community, to rebuild homes, schools, and hospitals, ensuring that Hamas cannot re-arm.

Biden highlighted the broader implications of the deal, including potential normalization agreements between Israel and other Arab nations, such as Saudi Arabia, and the integration of Israel into a regional security network. He urged all parties to consider and embrace this opportunity for a lasting peace against what he called the perils of an indefinite conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the notion of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, insisting that the enduring conditions for ending the conflict must be satisfied first. This position contradicts the proposal that, according to Biden, came from Israel.

Last month, families of the hostages released footage of five female IDF soldiers captured by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel. The video appears to show evidence of sexual violence against the women. The hostages have now been missing for 239 days.

On Friday, families of the remaining hostages accused the government of “sacrificing” their loved ones to continue the war in Gaza. Some have said that they were told by an aide that Netanyahu wouldn’t agree to a hostage release deal unless it would benefit him in the polls. The war, according to estimates by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, has already claimed the lives of over 35,000 people in total.  The health ministry says that about 52% of those figures are Palestinian women and children.