Could mass protests in Israel persuade Netanyahu to agree to a cease-fire deal? [Video]

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israelis were plunged into grief and anger this weekend after the military said six hostages were killed by their captors in Gaza just as troops were closing in on their location. The rage sparked massive protests and a general strike – the most intense domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since the start of the war nearly 11 months ago.

Many Israelis blame Netanyahu for the mounting number of dead hostages and are calling for a cease-fire agreement to free the roughly 100 captives remaining – even if that means ending the conflict.

Sunday’s demonstrations were the largest show of support for a hostage deal since Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel and kidnapped 250 people.

But Netanyahu has faced fierce pressure to reach a cease-fire agreement before, from key governing partners to top security officials and even Israel’s most important international …