STORY: Protesters in Jerusalem marched and chanted on Tuesday (September 16) calling for the end of the war and the release of all hostages.

The protesters took to the streets as Israel unleashed a long-threatened ground assault on Gaza City on Tuesday, declaring "Gaza is burning" as Palestinians there described the most intense bombardment they had faced in two years of war.

An Israeli protester who came from Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv to protest near the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, said "we are demonstrating here in order to convince our crooked government to stop the war and release the hostages. Very simple. And also to release our country from a group that's a regime that is destroying the country."

Hostage families fear that the expansion of the operation puts the hostages in danger and complicates reaching a swift deal that can bring them home.

An Israel Defence Forces official said ground troops were moving deeper into the enclave's main city, and that the number of soldiers would rise in coming days to confront up to 3,000 Hamas combatants the IDF believes are still in the city.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Jerusalem protesters demand release of hostages as Israel expands Gaza operation

VIDEO SHOWS: VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING FOR THE END OF THE WAR AND THE RELEASE OF ALL HOSTAGES AS ISRAELI ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF OPERATION IN GAZA CITY

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: JERUSALEM (SEPTEMBER 16, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AND HOLDING UP PLACARDS AND PICTURES OF HOSTAGES HELD IN GAZA

2. PLACARD WITH PICTURE OF HOSTAGES WITH STICKERS OF NUMBER OF DAYS HE HAS BEEN HELD IN GAZA

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI PROTESTER FROM RAMAT GAN, DAVID BONDI, SAYING:

"We are demonstrating here in order to convince our crooked government to stop the war and release the hostages. Very simple. And also to release our country from a group that's a regime that is destroying the country. Although they don't have a majority in the public."

4. PROTESTER DRUMMING AND CHANTING

5. PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (Hebrew): 'NETANYAHU BLEW-UP THE HOSTAGE DEAL, ALL OF THEM IN A DEAL, GET OUT OF GAZA.'

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI PROTESTER FROM RAMAT GAN, DAVID BONDI, SAYING:

"The problem is that he (Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu) is in power and he got into power by democratic means, by making agreement with very, very extreme parties. And since we are democratic country, we cannot throw him down without election. We hope to be able to influence by demonstrations and public opinion."

7. PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD READING (English) : 'STOP THE WAR'

8. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING PICTURES OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES AND CHANTING

9. PROTESTERS CHANTING IN MEGAPHONES

10. PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARDS WITH HOSTAGE PICTURES AND BANNER READING (Hebrew): 'NETANYAHU BLEW-UP THE HOSTAGE DEAL, ALL OF THEM IN A DEAL, GET OUT OF GAZA.'