Call for Instant Hostage Negotiation: Mass Demonstrations and Countrywide Strike in Israel
The tragic demise of the six captives has been hoped to serve as a "turning point," mentioned Gil Dickmann. His cousin Carmel Gat was among the survivors rescued over the weekend, in Tel Aviv. Up until Sunday, the labor union chiefs refused to initiate a nationwide protest. Dickmann expressed his sorrows, saying, "It's a shame that we had to face such a cost, and Carmel isn't here to witness this change."
The national labor union, Histadrut, instigated the nationwide protest, complying with demands from the hostages' families and the opposition. They aimed to exert more pressure on the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through additional protest actions. They blame Netanyahu and his administration for postponing an agreement for months, which could have saved the lives of the deceased hostages.
On Saturday, the bodies of the captives were discovered in a tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. According to Israel's Health Ministry, the four men and two women were gunned down by Hamas militants, fired from close range, within a period of approximately 48 to 72 hours before the autopsy on Sunday.
Five of the hostages were seized on October 7 during the Hamas assault on the Nova music festival, while one woman was abducted that same day from Kibbutz Beeri. Nearly eleven months after the Hamas attack against Israel, approximately 97 captives remain in the custody of Hamas and other radical Palestinian militant groups. Thirty-three of them are assumed to have perished.
The German Foreign Office suspects that a small double-digit number of individuals with German connections still hold captive by Hamas.
Employees in government, hospitals, and public transportation across the nation were urged to join the protest, starting at dawn. Retail shops, restaurants, markets, and schools were advised to shut down, while Histadrut declared, "The entire Israeli economy should stage a full-scale strike." Arnon Bar David, Histadrut chairman, voiced his opinion on Sunday, stating, "We can't stand idly by while our children are killed in Gaza's tunnels."
The coastal cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa adhered to the strike call and announced the closure of their municipal services. Haifa's port partially shut down as reported by Histadrut spokesperson Peter Lerner through the online service X. Despite this, Jerusalem did not participate in the strike.
All departures from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport were halted for two hours in the morning, but flight operations resumed following, according to an airport representative. However, partial transportation functioned as some government offices followed the strike unevenly. A national social security fund employee confirmed that while visits were halted, work continued within the offices.
A Tel Aviv labor court halted the strike just a few hours after it had commenced. The court stated, "We order a nationwide ban of the strike initiated." The strike needed to cease "today."
The court clarified that it was evident that it was a "political strike." Judges cited statements from Histadrut chairman Bar David, who declared, "We cannot stand by and watch our children being murdered in Gaza's tunnels."
The court decision ensued a request from Finance Minister Smotrich, who petitioned the Attorney General to appeal to the court, arguing that the strike was driven by political motives and had no link to wage disagreements.
Protests continued to block major roads in Tel Aviv even after the strike was legally terminated, following Sunday's massive protests.
The court cited Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar David's statement, acknowledging that the strike was initiated following the tragic events in the 'The following' situation: the demise of the six captives in Gaza Strip.
Despite the court's ruling, the 'The following' events continued to cause widespread disruption, with protesters blocking major roads in Tel Aviv after the nationwide strike was terminated.
