A large crowd gathered in a Tel Aviv square on Saturday to hear Witkoff speak about the status of the ceasefire between the Israeli regime and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
But each time the envoy tried to praise Netanyahu, an ally of US President Donald Trump, he was met with jeers from the audience, forcing him to give a confused and hesitant speech.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” he began, only to be drowned out by a wave of boos. Witkoff replied, “Okay,” and then laughed awkwardly.
“Okay, let me finish my thought…I was in the trenches with[Prime Minister Netanyahu]and believe me, he played a very important role here,” Witkoff said as he tried to continue speaking as boos continued.
Witkoff was joined by Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. Both men do not hold official positions in the U.S. government, but they were reportedly involved in ceasefire negotiations.
The audience seemed unfazed when Mr. Witkoff praised the Arab leaders who participated in the negotiations.
He also sought to reassure the public that Israeli prisoners held in Gaza would be released on Monday and that Israelis were grateful to President Trump.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party issued a statement defending the prime minister, claiming that the oncoming protesters were “booing the truth.”
Similar demonstrations have been held almost weekly for almost two years, ever since the Hamas-led Al-Aqsa flood operation, in which prisoners were taken in retaliation for decades of Israeli repression.
The gathering has consistently criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet for failing to counter the overwhelming strength of the Palestinian resistance forces during the operation and for failing to secure the release of prisoners.
As part of the ceasefire agreement between the Israeli regime and Hamas, the Zionist regime is preparing to accept the bodies of 20 surviving prisoners and 26 who were declared dead, but the fate of the remaining two prisoners is not yet known.
Hamas officials confirmed that the release of the remaining Israeli prisoners, including survivors and those killed, will begin on Monday morning local time.
Nearly 2,000 Palestinian abductees captured by Israel during the massacre will also be released following the agreed release of prisoners, including 250 identified by Israel.
At least 67,682 Palestinians have been killed and 170,033 injured, most of them women and children, since the Israeli regime launched genocidal attacks in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
Experts believe the actual death toll is significantly higher, with thousands of people still missing or trapped under rubble.
RHM/Press TV