Protesters lit a bonfire outside the Likud Party headquarters in Jabotinsky House, Tel Aviv, on Sunday night, Israeli media reported.

Riot police violently cleared out the protesters from the area, with at least five arrested, Haaretz reported.

Further police reinforcements arrived on motorcycles and horseback and were able to extinguish the fire as they cleared the protesters out. One horseback police officer was filmed pinning a protester to the wall with his horse, and other officers were recorded forcibly pushing back protesters and shouting for them to be arrested, Ynet reported.

This comes as part of the protests held nationwide, including a strike.

Nationwide strike, protest disrupts country amid calls to free the hostages

Announced last week, the nationwide strike in support of the hostages began at 6:29 a.m. and ended at 8:00 p.m. with a mass rally at Hostage Square.

Jabotinsky House, Tel Aviv, hosting the Likud Party headquarters; illustrative.
Jabotinsky House, Tel Aviv, hosting the Likud Party headquarters; illustrative. (credit: Shutterstock/Vered Barequet)

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum claimed nearly 500,000 Israelis rallied for the release of the hostages in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening.

"We and an entire nation are making noise for you – for all the hostages," Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan Zangauker, said from the main stage at the rally. "We demand a comprehensive and immediate deal and an end to the war. We’ll keep demanding until we get our children back.”

Several major highways across Israel, including Highway 1 and the Ra'anana Junction, were blocked, leading to significant delays and disruptions in public transportation.

Israel Police arrested 33 protesters over the course of the day.