Israel’s largest trade union Histadrut has announced a general strike throughout the country on Monday. Ben Gurion International Airport ceases operations between 8 and 10 local time. Schools, hospitals, public transport and private workplaces also close for parts of the day.
The chairman of the Histadrut trade union Arnon Bar-David says that Israel must “stop abandoning hostages”.
War between Israel and Hamas
Several arrested after large protests in Israel
Six of the hostages found dead in Gaza – were to be released in the event of a ceasefire
– I have realized that only our intervention can shake up those who need to be shaken up, he says.
Want to see hostage release agreement
The goal is to pressure Israel’s prime minister into a settlement with the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza so that the hostages can be released.
The announcement of the six dead hostages sparked the biggest protests in Israel since October 7. In Tel Aviv alone, more than 280,000 people demonstrated.
The hostage was reportedly alive on Thursday
The dead hostages were between 23 and 40 years old. Five of them were captured at the Nova music festival. The Israeli Ministry of Health has conducted an autopsy on the bodies, which shows that they were killed two to three days before they were found. But the information about how the hostages were killed differs.
– According to the Israeli army, they were shot at close range and according to Hamas, who kept them in tunnels, they must have been killed in connection with battles and Israeli bombings, says Stina Blomgren.
According to a compilation from the Times of Israel, 97 of the total of 251 hostages are believed to be still in Gaza, 33 of these have been confirmed dead by the Israeli military.
According to information in the Israeli media, those who have now been found dead would have been released during the first phase of the proposal for a ceasefire that is on the negotiating table. Netanyahu has been silent so far.
– It is widely believed that Netanyahu will be forced to resign the day the war in Gaza is over and the protesters accuse him of delaying a deal on the hostages for the sake of his own political survival.