Protesters rally in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, demanding end to Gaza war

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Protesters rally in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, demanding end to Gaza war

2025-09-28 12:23 Last Updated At：16:37

Massive demonstrations swept through cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as protesters called for an end to Israel's military operations in Gaza and the swift release of Israeli hostages.

In Jerusalem, demonstrators gathered at the historic Jaffa Gate in the Old City and marched toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence. Although Netanyahu was in the United States attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), large crowds still assembled at his official residence to express their frustration.

Protesters said the government has failed to prioritize the safe return of the hostages by prolonging the war in disregard of their safety.

"Families of the hostages are begging for a deal and also the whole world is tired of the war. Also Israelis are tired of the war. So people want to see this end. And I think the only way to end it is a deal. That will guarantee security, that will guarantee a better future for everyone. And that especially will bring our hostages home," said Mike, protester.

Netanyahu's speech during the general debate of the 80th session of the UNGA on Friday also sparked anger among the demonstrators. They criticized him for not mentioning any possibility of a ceasefire, nor outlining a plan to end the conflict.

"Our prime minister's speech at the UN, when he spoke, many of the people and the delegates there left the room rightfully so. Netanyahu is unwilling to end the war. He continues the war so that he can continue guarding his precious coalition. He does it for a political reason. This signifies the extreme isolation that Netanyahu is bringing Israel into. We are isolated and I should say that he does it against the wishes of the majority of the people of Israel," said Sarah, protester.

In his address, Netanyahu criticized those countries announcing their recognition of the State of Palestine over the past few days.

France, Britain, Portugal, Australia and Canada are among Western nations that have recognized the State of Palestine in support of the two-state solution over the past few days. So far, more than 150 UN member states have recognized Palestine.

Canadian PM's visit to China paves way for more pragmatic trade ties: scholar

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China signals a policy shift towards building a more pragmatic relationship between the two countries, according to a Canadian researcher.

Carney arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to begin an official visit to China through Saturday, which marks the first trip by a Canadian Prime Minister to the country in eight years.

Robert Hanlon, director and principal investigator of Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project (CAPPP) at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) that Carney's visit indicates Canada is recalibrating its strategic perception of China, which could cement the foundation for the country's economic diversification efforts and boost the development of bilateral cooperation.

"I think it's a clear message that he has moved Canada's strategy to a much more pragmatic, interest-based, -focused relationship with our trading partners, moving away from values-based narratives that we might have heard on previous governments. Canada has spoken about moving from what the Prime Minister's Office is calling "from reliance to resilience", and that means diversifying our economies and our trade everywhere in the world. And so China being our second largest trading partner, it makes perfect sense for our PM to head to Beijing," he said.

The scholar also noted the huge cooperation potential between the two sides in economic and trade fields, citing Canada's efforts to step up shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the planned construction of an oil pipeline in Alberta which aims to increase export access to Asian markets. "Canada and China both share tremendous economic opportunities together and so finding ways to enhance our exports. Canada specifically looking to build out its LNG and oil, kind of export market. We know Canada is a major producer of critical minerals and China is a buyer. And so there's a lot of synergy between that kind of those kind of markets," he said.