Israel Gaza latest: General strike begins as anger over hostage deaths erupts into protest demanding ceasefire
A general strike has begun in Israel after anger over the deaths of hostages in Gaza erupted into protests demanding a ceasefire and calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a deal to bring the captives home.
Municipal services in several Israeli districts were disrupted on Monday after the head of the country’s biggest labour union, the Histadrut, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers across the economy, called for the strike following the recovery of six hostagess bodies in a tunnel in Rafah on Sunday.
The return of the hostages, who were shot dead between 48-72 hours before being found by Israeli forces, according to health ministry estimates, triggered deep shock in Israel, prompting at least half a million people to take to the streets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in protest on Sunday.
The bodies of Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino have been returned to Israel, military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said. All six were captured by Hamas during the 7 October attack that ignited the Gaza war.
The families of the captives blamed Netanyahu, with The Hostage Families Forum saying: “The delay in signing the deal has led to their deaths and those of many other hostages.”
