TEL AVIV – Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza have led nationwide rallies and a general strike to show how unhappy they are with the war and demand the return of their loved ones. On Sunday, the first day of the work week in Israel, demonstrators blocked major roads, including the one that connects Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This was part of planned protests in more than 300 places. Major institutions, businesses, and tech organizations joined the cause by going on strike for the day to demonstrate their support.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, said he will assault Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are reported to be hiding and some captives are thought to be held. This day of action comes after that. The decision has been widely condemned around the world, but it is also facing fierce criticism at home. Recent polls show that about 80% of Israelis, even those on the political right, want the conflict to end in exchange for the hostages who are still alive.
Political Divisions and Humanitarian Issues
Netanyahu has so far refused to change his mind, even though there is more and more public pressure on him to do so. Some people say he is keeping the battle going for almost two years to save his own political life, although he denies this. During a press conference, Noam Peri, the daughter of a dead hostage, said, “The Prime Minister can make one deal to get all the hostages back and end the war. The people are behind him on that.” “But he chooses to expand it, which means that the hostages who are dying in the tunnels will die.”
Netanyahu’s government needs the help of far-right MPs who are against a truce and want to bring back Jewish settlements in Gaza. Hanoch Milwidsky, a member of the Likud party, called the protests “the riots in support of Hamas.”
Palestinian health officials said that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is still terrible, with more than 61,000 people died since the conflict started. The enclave is dealing with a lot of hunger and disaster. COGAT, the Israeli military arm that coordinates humanitarian efforts, said on Saturday that it would start sending tents and other shelter supplies to Gaza to get ready for the evacuation of the people before the military attack.