Israel Launches Nationwide Strike to Intensify Pressure on Netanyahu After Hostage Deaths

A nationwide strike launched this morning in Israel is intensifying pressure on the government to secure the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

This action follows a night of large-scale demonstrations, where tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets, expressing deep grief and anger after the discovery of six hostages’ bodies in the Gaza Strip.

The six hostages, whose bodies were recovered by Israeli soldiers from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, were abducted during Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. Their deaths have sparked widespread outrage, with relatives and protesters accusing the government of failing to do enough to bring them back alive. Many are now calling for an immediate ceasefire to save the dozens of hostages still captive.

Arnon Bar-David, chair of Israel’s largest union, Histadrut, urged a “complete strike” across the Israeli economy to push the government into signing a deal to secure the hostages’ release. “We must stop the abandonment of the hostages…

I have concluded that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,” Bar-David said.

We stand in solidarity with workers in Israel going on strike to demand a ceasefire agreement that ends the harm to hostages and suffering in Gaza. We strongly support the call for a general strike by Israel national labor union @HistadrutGlobal.

— SEIU (@SEIU) September 2, 2024

The strike has garnered international support, including backing from the Service Employees International Union in North America, representing two million workers across the U.S. and Canada. The union expressed solidarity with Israeli workers striking to demand a ceasefire and an end to the hostages’ suffering in Gaza.

Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s attack, 97 remain in captivity, including 33 who the Israeli army has confirmed are dead. While some hostages were released during a brief truce in November, campaigners and family members believe that further negotiations are crucial to ensure the safe return of the remaining captives.

During last night’s protests in Tel Aviv, demonstrators marched past six symbolic coffins draped in Israeli flags, representing the deceased hostages. The protests saw some clashes with police, as well as instances of tyre burning on a blocked highway where demonstrators defied water cannons.

The six hostages have been identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, US-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, and Russian-Israeli citizen Alexander Lobanov. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that the hostages were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them,” contradicting claims by Hamas that they were killed by Israeli bombing.

In a statement, Israeli health ministry spokesperson Shira Solomon confirmed that the hostages were shot at close range by Hamas terrorists 48-72 hours before their bodies were recovered.

Despite the tragedy, US President Joe Biden expressed his devastation and outrage over the deaths while remaining optimistic about the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement.

Critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have accused his government of prolonging the conflict for political reasons, with some arguing that the delays in mediation efforts may have cost the hostages their lives.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum condemned the government’s handling of the situation, stating that “were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses” in mediation, the hostages might still be alive.

As Israel faces ongoing protests and a nationwide strike, the pressure mounts on the government to act decisively to secure the release of the remaining hostages and bring an end to the crisis.