About 10,000 Israeli protesters demand end to Gaza rocket attacks

About 10,000 Israelis protested in a Tel Aviv square against what they see as the failure of a five-week Gaza war to decisively halt rocket and mortar fire at southern towns bordering the Palestinian coastal territory.

Many demonstrators who travelled in by bus on Thursday from parts of Israel hardest hit by rocket attacks in the recent fighting were joined by supporters in the Israeli business centre, who have faced daily rocket fire in the fighting since July 8.

Two successive truces since Monday, due to last until next Tuesday, have largely stilled the guns following the death of 1,945 mostly civilian Palestinians, 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians.

However, demonstrators were wary of seeing further hostilities erupt once the ceasefire ends and many felt the Israeli military should destroy the rocket arsenals of Hamas militants who dominate Gaza.

Some complained of feeling betrayed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which has pledged that the war would restore calm to southern Israel, in addition to destroying underground tunnels seen as launching pads for future attacks.

No one criticised Netanyahu personally and he was thanked, along with the military, for taking on Hamas in the latest hostilities. But the demonstration was still the largest public display of criticism of Israel's government since the hostilities began.