THE head of Israel’s Histadrut labour union has called a general strike today to pressure the government into reaching a deal to return Israeli captives still held in Gaza.
Arnon Bar-David called on all civilian workers to join the strike and said Ben Gurion airport, Israel’s main air transport hub, would be closed from 8am.
‘We must stop the abandonment of the hostages … I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken,’ said Bar-David in a statement.
‘We need to reach a deal, a deal that is more important than anything else. A deal is not progressing due to political considerations and this is unacceptable.’
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said the municipality will join today’s strike in support of the families of the captives.
‘The Israeli government abandoned them, but the State of Israel is us. As a sign of solidarity with the abductees and their families, the municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa joins the strike,’ Huldai wrote on X.
- The Israeli military reported finding the bodies of six captives in a tunnel in southern Gaza yesterday.
Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq said the six were killed in Israeli air strikes and blamed the United States for its ‘bias, support and partnership’ in the 11-month war on the besieged territory. One of the captives was a dual US-Israeli citizen, while another was Russian-Israeli.
The official stated that Hamas cares more about the lives of its prisoners than Biden does, emphasising that the group had accepted his proposal and the UN Security Council resolution.
Families and supporters of Israeli captives took to the streets near Tel Aviv on Sunday demanding a deal to secure the release of those still in Hamas captivity.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: ‘Unfortunately, I see the disturbing statements from the left, which accuse the Israeli government of murdering the hostages. To be clear: The terrorist organisation Hamas, and only Hamas, killed the hostages.’
- Parents took their children to health centres for polio vaccinations amid Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip yesterday.
Three health centres in Gaza began delivering polio vaccines to children on the first day of the three-day campaign’s official roll-out.
The campaign began at 9am for children aged 10 and under, said Yasser Shaaban, medical director of al-Awda Hospital. ‘There are a lot of drones flying over central Gaza but we hope this vaccination campaign for children will be calm.
‘I’ve come here (to a health centre) to have my children vaccinated against polio,’ Rehan Farra, a Palestinian mother said. ‘I fear for my children as the Gaza Strip is disease-stricken. We live in fear under Israel’s ruthless bombardment, surrounded by nothing but death and destruction.
‘Above all, Gaza’s children are starving. In the past, we used to feed them healthy and nutritious food, with lots of protein and vitamins. Now, we are living on the handouts. Even the water we drink is contaminated.’
‘My child fell sick on a number of occasions because of the unclean water we drink. Their health is generally deteriorating.’
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