Israel is preparing for a general strike as protests continue over the government’s perceived failure to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Tensions escalated after soldiers recovered the bodies of six hostages on Saturday, sparking national outrage. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people protested across Israel, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of inadequate efforts to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages taken during the October 7 attack. The call for a one-day strike on Monday was issued by Histadrut, Israel’s largest labor union, with leader Arnon Bar-David criticizing the country’s response as providing “body bags instead of a deal.”
The government has reacted strongly to the union’s strike call, with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accusing the union of aiding Hamas. It remains uncertain how broadly the strike will be observed, as several cities and municipalities have announced their intention not to participate.
The nationwide strike reflects ongoing public outrage over the recent hostage killings. On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) discovered the bodies of six hostages in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. The hostages were identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Master Sgt Ori Danino. The IDF reported that they had been killed shortly before troops reached them, triggering widespread protests on Sunday.
The demonstrations, which were largely peaceful but included instances of violence such as breaking through police lines and blocking a major Tel Aviv highway, saw crowds accusing the government and Prime Minister Netanyahu of failing to secure the release of the remaining hostages. Protesters, many draped in Israeli flags, also gathered in Jerusalem and other cities, with some climbing buses and bins for better views and others chanting demands for the hostages’ release.
The protests have overshadowed humanitarian efforts in Gaza, where the UN reported that the first full day of a campaign to vaccinate 640,000 children against polio was successful. This vaccination effort relies on localized pauses in fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters.
As of now, the exact number of hostages remaining in Gaza is unclear. Hamas kidnapped 251 people and killed 1,200 others during its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. In response, the Israeli military launched a ground and air offensive in Gaza, resulting in more than 40,738 deaths in the territory, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
