People in Israel, Iran march against war

This is a rare anti-war protest in Israel at this time. Protesters carried banners demanding that the Government immediately end the war and exchange hostages, captives and prisoners with the Palestinian armed movements in the Gaza Strip.

At the same time, hundreds of other Israelis gathered on the opposite side to protest against the anti-war protesters. Police had to set up a fence to separate the two groups of protesters to avoid conflict.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of people joined a protest by relatives of the kidnapped, gathering in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence to pressure the leader to bring their relatives back soon.

Netanyahu said that in the coming days, the War Cabinet will meet with representatives of the relatives of the kidnapped people.

In Haifa, hundreds of people also gathered in the city's Book Square to commemorate victims killed or sacrificed in the war with Hamas since October 7.

Protesters also called for Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign. They are expected to descend on Netanyahu's home in Caesarea to pressure the leader.

On the same day, thousands of Iranians participated in state-organized rallies to protest Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip that killed many Palestinian civilians.

At the march, Iranians used white shrouds, symbolizing the children who died in the Gaza Strip.

The march was held ahead of World Children's Day, which falls on November 20. Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami was also present at the march.

In a related development, the head of the United Nations (UN) Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini on November 18 condemned the attack on a school operated by the agency in the Gaza Strip.

On social network X, Mr. Lazzarini said he had witnessed “horrific images and videos of dozens of dead and injured people” at one of the UNRWA schools.

Earlier, the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip said Israel had airstrikes on a UN school in the Jabalia refugee camp, killing at least 50 people and injuring many others.

UN-run schools and hospitals are housing thousands of Palestinian civilians forced from their homes and displaced by Israeli attacks.