Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Monday in a rare nationwide general strike, protesting the government’s failure to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The strike, led by the country’s largest labor union, Histadrut, brought much of the country to a standstill and was accompanied by large-scale demonstrations across multiple cities.
The strike, the largest since March 2023, was sparked by growing public anger following the Israeli military’s discovery of six hostages’ bodies in Gaza over the weekend. The victims, among them Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, were found in an underground tunnel in Rafah, having been shot at close range. The incident has intensified demands for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to finalize a ceasefire-for-hostages deal with Hamas.
In response to the strike, major sectors of Israel’s economy were disrupted. Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport temporarily halted flights, universities and shopping malls were closed, and many government offices ceased operations. The strike was cut short in the afternoon after a Tel Aviv labor court ordered its suspension, following a government petition that labeled the action as politically motivated.
As the General Strike begins across Israel, Flight Operations at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv are nearly at a Standstill. With Ticketing, Baggage, and Gate Agents all involved with Strike, which has now been Extended from 0800-1000, until the Late Afternoon. pic.twitter.com/56XgC2QpPv
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 2, 2024
The protests have highlighted deep divisions within Israeli society and the government itself. Netanyahu has faced widespread criticism, including from within his own cabinet, for allegedly stalling a potential deal with Hamas. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly clashed with Netanyahu over the decision to prioritize control over the Philadelphi corridor in Gaza, a strategic area used by Hamas for smuggling, over the lives of the hostages.
The United States has also applied pressure, with President Joe Biden stating that Netanyahu has not done enough to secure a deal. Biden emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that negotiators were “very close” to reaching an agreement.
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