Israel's powerful Histadrut trade union center has declared a “general strike” for this Monday to force Benjamin Netanyahu's government to reach a deal to free the hundreds of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
“We must stop this abandonment of hostages […] Tomorrow, at 6 am (local time), the entire Israeli economy will be on general strike,” Histadrut leader Arnon Bar-David told a news conference on Sunday. The powerful Israeli union wants to force Benjamin Netanyahu's government to an agreement to release the hundreds of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Hours before this announcement, the military said it had found the bodies of six hostages who had not previously been reported dead. The Hostage Families Forum then called on Israelis to demonstrate in Tel Aviv on Sunday evening to demand “a total blockade of the country and the implementation of an agreement to release the hostages”. Several restaurant chains and the Lev cinema chain have already announced that they will close their doors on Sunday night, and the opposition leader has called for a “crippling of the economy”.
“They were alive. [Benyamin] Netanyahu and his government of death decided not to save them […] for political reasons. Their deaths could have been avoided. An agreement could be reached [avec le Hamas]”, wrote Yair Lapid, who is also calling for an urgent session of the Knesset, the Israeli assembly.