X007-ISRAEL PROTESTAS

STORY: Israeli protesters blocked one of the main highways in Tel Aviv on Tuesday (August 5) as they called on the government to facilitate a hostage deal and to end the Gaza war.

Scuffles erupted between police officers and protesters as they began removing those blocking the road by force, labelling the protest "illegal".

The protest came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior security officials to finalise a new strategy for the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza, with media reporting he favoured a complete military takeover of the Palestinian enclave.

The videos released by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, showing hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski in deteriorating mental and physical health, raised concern among their families.

According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Hamas, thus far, has barred humanitarian organisations from having any kind of access to the hostages and families have little or no details of their conditions.

Despite intense international pressure for a ceasefire to ease hunger and appalling conditions in the besieged enclave, efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas have collapsed.