General Strike In Israel Begin Protest For Gaza Hostage Deal

A general strike in Israel has begun as a way to pressurise the government for locking a Gaza hostage deal. The relatives and demonstrators say that the government is not doing enough to bring the remaining hostages in Gaza back.

Several parts of Israel are brought to a halt amidst the general strike. For the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, the public is demanding the Prime Minister to do more, particularly to bring them alive.

(Also read: Israel Vows Unrelenting Pursuit of Justice for Hostages as Netanyahu Calls for End to Violence)

After the Israeli military declared that six of the Israeli captives were “murdered” by Hamas, also confirmed by the health ministry, the Israeli public gathered as mass rallies yesterday for a truce deal to free several captives in Gaza.

The Israeli military explained that the bodies of six hostages who were captured alive during Hamas’s 7 October attack are now found in a tunnel in southern Gaza. It brought a wave of grief, devastation and fury from Israeli families and the public who now want the remaining captives to be brought home safely, being the sole reason for the general strike.

The Israeli health ministry deduced after the post-potem reports that the six hostages were “murdered” with close gunshots by the Hamas troops.

Histadrut trade union announced for a general strike in Israel

The Histadrut trade union announced a nationwide general strike at 6 am as a call “for the return” of the remaining 97 captives, which also entailed 33 military persons. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered asking for a Gaza hostage deal in the streets of Tel Aviv.

The Histadrut chief said that he wanted to help the hostages come back home as he was of the view that their intervention would “shake those who need to be shaken”. He said this as a reference to the top decision-makers of the country who should feel the need of the time and finally make a truce that has been postponed for months in the name of ‘negotiations’.

Schools and municipal services were closed during the strike for several hours and many other cities joined later. A spokesperson from Ben Gurion International airport also mentioned that some flights were halted for two hours.

In Jerusalem and other cities, life went on in a normal routine; some services like transportation and other markets kept on working as per their scheduled routines. However, in other regions, services were partially halted to show support for the strike.

Despite bearing the pressure from all sides, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on keeping Israeli troops in Gaza even after the ceasefire.

The pressures are coming from the defence minister and senior generals in Israel and on the other hand, pressure from Egyptian and Qatari diplomats who have visited Hamas several times to ask Palestinians to lock in a ceasefire deal. Israel and Palestine, both have been unable to do so and no signs of a breakthrough in talks are witnessed that could help stop the fights, and loss of human lives and bring hostages home.

Hamas still has 101 hostages who were taken into captivity after gunmen rampaged through the Israeli community in Gaza territory. A total of 253 entered into their region to which Gaza responded with severe retaliation. Killings of 1200 Israelis and foreigners triggered a political unease that led to massive genocide from Israel’s side, making Gaza a wasteland and resulting in more than 40,000 deaths in Palestine.

Some scores were disclosed after a one-week truce in November. Afterwards, the families and campaigners related to the hostages became hopeful that another long-term deal would be locked in that would ensure the return of captives.

Out of 251 hostages in the 7 October attacks, only eight were saved alive by Israeli forces. Mediation efforts by the US and other diplomats seem to be all in vain.