Angry Demonstrators Hold Large Protests Seeking A Ceasefire Agreement

Israel’s main labor union has called for a strike after six more hostages were found dead in Gaza. In matter-of-fact, tens of thousands of Israelis have hit the streets demanding an armistice and on Sunday night, demonstrators clashed with police forces in one of Israel’s largest anti-government demonstrations since the Gaza conflict began over 11 months ago.

Many Israelis blocked traffic in Tel Aviv and marched near Netanyahu’s office in West Jerusalem.

In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Relatives Forum, which represents the relatives of prisoners held in Gaza, said the murder of the six hostages was the direct result of Netanyahu’s failure to reach an agreement to end the conflict and return their loved ones’ home.

According to the forum, they were all murdered in recent days after enduring over 11 months of brutality, torture, and hunger in Hamas’ custody.

Gil Dickmann, a cousin of Carmel Gat, whose body was among those repatriated, urged Israelis to increase pressure on their government. “Take to the streets and shut down the country until everyone has returned. “They can still be saved,” wrote on his X page.

The union announced that Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s largest air transport hub, would be closed beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday in order to shut down or disrupt vital areas of the Israeli economy, such as banking and healthcare.

“A deal is more important than anything else,” stated Histadrut CEO Arnon Bar-David. “We are getting body bags instead of a deal.”

He claimed that he had the support of Israel’s leading manufacturers and high-tech entrepreneurs. The cooperation of some of Israel’s most influential voices in the economy reflected the magnitude of public outrage over the killings of the six prisoners.

Municipal services in Israel’s commercial powerhouse, Tel Aviv, will also be closed for part of Monday. The Manufacturers Association of Israel supported the strike.

Yair Lapid, the Israeli opposition leader, expressed his support for the strike.

However, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has requested the country’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, to file an urgent court request to halt the planned statewide strike.

In his letter, Smotrich stated that a strike had no legal basis because it sought to improperly influence key policy decisions by politicians on grounds of state security.

He also stated that a general strike, which would close down the country and halt all outbound planes, would have substantial economic effects and would incur unneeded economic damage during wartime.

Israel’s army has admitted the difficulty of freeing hundreds of remaining detainees, saying only an agreement will result in a large-scale repatriation.