Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing public pressure from families of hostages, political critics, and Middle Eastern leaders following the deaths of six hostages held by Hamas.

On Wednesday, protests erupted across Israel, including outside the Likud headquarters and at the homes of key lawmakers, as frustrations mounted over Netanyahu’s handling of the hostage crisis and the ongoing war in Gaza.

The protests intensified after Netanyahu publicly rejected calls to withdraw Israeli forces from the Gaza-Egypt border, a key demand in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

🚨🚨 BREAKING ISRAEL

TEL AVIV PROTEST MARCH – NETANYAHU TO RESIGN

Massive Israeli protests are taking place right now in The Tel Aviv, with reports of over 100,000 protesters demanding an exchange deal and #Netanyahu ’s resignation.#Israel #Protesters #Protest… pic.twitter.com/C7fklDsx1x

— Conlustro Research (@ConlustroR) September 3, 2024

Over 300,000 people gathered in #TelAviv tonight, demanding a ceasefire and a hostages deal. Protesters accuse #Netanyahu of blocking the agreement. Left-wing groups are planning a general strike on Monday, marking the biggest demonstrations in #Israel since early 2023.… pic.twitter.com/GaYd3l73Nn

— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) September 1, 2024

The prime minister has insisted that maintaining a military presence in the so-called Philadelphi corridor is crucial to prevent Hamas from using the area for arms smuggling. His stance has been widely criticized both domestically and internationally, with many seeing it as a significant obstacle to progress in negotiations.

Families of the slain hostages have expressed their outrage after the release of a video by Hamas, showing one of the hostages, Eden Yerushalmi, accusing the Israeli government of abandoning her and other captives.

Yerushalmi, 24, who was abducted from the Nova music festival on 7 October, appeared gaunt and emotionally distressed in the two-minute video, which was posted by Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades on Monday. In the video, she pointedly blamed Netanyahu for failing to secure their release, further fueling anger among the families of hostages and the public.

JUST IN: HAMAS RELEASE VIDEO OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE YERUSHALMI BEFORE HER DEATH

“You freed 1000 prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, now they are asking for less than a quarter of that number for each of us … am I worth less?” pic.twitter.com/6rlRQq8BXE

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) September 3, 2024

The video’s release coincided with the funerals of the six hostages whose bodies were recovered from a tunnel near the Gaza-Egypt border.

Among the dead were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alex Lobanov, Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, and Almog Sarusi. Yerushalmi’s family authorized the release of a short clip from the video, which has since been widely circulated as a grim reminder of the failed negotiations. The Hostage Families Forum condemned the video as “shocking psychological terror” aimed at inflicting further pain on the families.

Hamas also released a separate video of Lobanov and Gat, who, like Yerushalmi, criticized the Israeli government for its failure to negotiate their release. Lobanov accused Netanyahu of neglecting the hostages, referencing the Shalit deal in which Israel released over a thousand Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one Israeli soldier.

“You failed and neglected us on October 7, and now you continue to fail in every attempt to release us alive,” he said, highlighting the dire conditions under which they were held and the bombing by Israeli forces.

Similarly, Gat, who had been in captivity for nearly 11 months, pleaded with the government to stop the bombing and prioritize their release.

Both hostages called on Israeli citizens to take to the streets and protest, urging the government to act. The release of these videos has intensified public anger and fueled ongoing protests demanding action from Netanyahu’s administration.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s refusal to withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor has drawn sharp criticism from his former war cabinet colleague, Benny Gantz, and international condemnation from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

While Gantz acknowledged the importance of the corridor for Israel’s security, he stressed that the return of hostages must be prioritized over territorial control.

Critics have also pointed out that Netanyahu’s personal interests may be at play in prolonging the conflict.

Facing charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust in three cases filed in 2019, Netanyahu’s continued tenure as prime minister is seen by many as a strategic move to avoid legal repercussions.

If convicted, Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison, and some argue that staying in power shields him from potential imprisonment.

His critics claim that Netanyahu is willing to risk regional stability and global peace to remain in office, as losing his political position could leave him vulnerable to prosecution, potentially leading to a life behind bars.

As tensions escalate, Netanyahu faces a critical test in navigating the hostage crisis and the broader conflict, with both domestic and international pressure mounting.

Many are questioning whether his decisions are driven by national security or personal survival, adding to the growing discontent within Israel and beyond.

In a move that could strain relations with the Biden administration, the United Kingdom has announced the suspension of several arms export licences to Israel, citing a “clear risk” that these arms could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law. This decision marks a significant divergence from the tightly coordinated policy between the UK and the US regarding Israel.

The UK’s Foreign Office revealed that a two-month internal review raised concerns over Israel’s conduct in the ongoing Gaza conflict, particularly regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees and the obstruction of aid to Gaza.

Although no definitive conclusion has been reached on whether UK-exported arms contributed to the destruction in Gaza, the scale of the devastation and civilian casualties has prompted the UK to take this precautionary measure.

The suspension affects components for military aircraft, helicopters, drones, and targeting equipment, covering 30 out of 350 existing arms licences.

Notably, components related to the F-35 fighter jet programme are largely exempt due to their integration into a global supply chain controlled by the US, a point seen as a significant loophole by pro-Palestinian groups.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized that this suspension is not a full arms embargo and does not match the level of previous suspensions, such as those imposed by Margaret Thatcher in 1982.

Lammy described the decision as one made “in sorrow rather than anger,” stressing that it does not amount to a judgment on Israel’s actions but is rather a forward-looking measure based on the potential risks involved.

Israeli officials reacted with dismay to the UK’s decision. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant expressed deep disappointment, emphasizing Israel’s need to defend itself against multiple threats, including those from Hamas, which recently executed six Israeli hostages.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz also criticized the UK’s move, stating it sends a problematic message to Hamas and its backers in Iran. The decision comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting political pressure following a general strike and public outrage over his handling of the Gaza ceasefire terms.

In his address to the House of Commons, Lammy explained that the decision was driven by evidence concerning Israel’s treatment of Palestinian prisoners and restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The UK’s legal advice indicated that Israel could have taken more reasonable measures to facilitate humanitarian access and distribution, and it criticized Israel’s restrictive approach to dual-use items and the insufficiency of aid provided to Gaza.

The suspension is expected to complicate the UK’s relationship with the US, where the Biden administration and some Republicans close to Donald Trump have resisted similar measures, arguing there is no basis under international humanitarian law for suspending arms exports to Israel. Biden has faced pressure from the pro-Palestinian wing of the Democratic Party to leverage arms sales to force Israeli concessions in ceasefire negotiations.

In Europe, only Belgium and Spain have imposed arms embargoes on Israel, while Germany has refrained from doing so.

The UK’s decision is also likely to influence domestic legal challenges, including an upcoming case brought by Global Legal Action Network and the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq.

The Labour Party’s annual conference may see heated debates over the suspension, but Lammy’s careful calibration of the decision could help him navigate the potential backlash.

British arms exports to Israel amounted to £42 million in 2022, a relatively small portion of the UK’s overall arms trade, but the political implications of this suspension are likely to resonate far beyond the financial impact.