A nationwide strike gripped Israel on Monday as part of a wider protest against the perceived failure of the government to return hostages taken by Hamas in the 7 October attacks.
ADVERTISEMENTStrikes have taken place across Israel to protest against the government’s failure to return hostages held in Gaza.
Closures around the country on Monday, including at Israel’s main international airport, aimed to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy. However, the strike was ignored in some areas of the country — reflecting deep political divisions.
A labour court ruled that the strike must end by 2:30pm local time, accepting a petition from the government arguing that the strike was politically motivated.
The head of Histadrut, Israel’s largest trade union, said it would abide by the decision and instructed members to return to work.
The strike came after hundreds of thousands of Israelis poured onto the streets on Sunday night after six hostages were found dead in Gaza.
The families of those killed, along with much of the public, blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive if a deal had been reached.
On the other hand, others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining military pressure on Hamas whose 7 October attack on Israel triggered the deadly war which has so far reportedly killed more than 40,000 Palestinians.
Parts of Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, participated in the strike, while other municipalities such as Jerusalem did not.
An Israeli military spokesperson said the six hostages found dead in Gaza had been killed only shortly before IDF forces could arrive in the tunnel where they were held.
Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying «whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal».
