Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered around Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, demanding an end to the war in Gaza and a deal with Hamas on hostages.
In one of the largest coordinated demonstrations since the beginning of the Gaza war nearly two years ago, protesters blocked major roads, closed private businesses, and staged rallies in big cities across Israel.
The nationwide grassroots strike and widespread protests grew over the course of Sunday as protesters demand the government secure the release of 50 hostages still in Gaza. People also protested outside government ministers’ homes.
Organizers said that throughout the day, over one million people participated in hundreds of actions held across the country.
Family members of the hostages, leading the strike alongside the October Council, which represents bereaved families from the war, held a press conference in Tel Aviv, announcing an “emergency break” until the hostages are released.
“Today, we stop everything to save the lives of 50 hostages and soldiers. Today, we stop everything to remember the supreme value of the sanctity of life,” said Anat Engrest, whose son Matan is held in Gaza.
Polls have repeatedly shown a large majority in Israel support a ceasefire deal to release all of the hostages in exchange for an end to the war. The last round of negotiations fell apart in late-July, when the US and Israel withdrew their teams from talks in Doha, accusing Hamas of not negotiating in good faith.
“We are united in one simple demand directed at the Israeli government: Put an Israeli proposal on the table today for a comprehensive deal – to end the war in exchange for the return of the last hostage. No slogans, no sabotage, no demands that we know the other side won’t accept,” said Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is a hostage. “It’s time to end the horrific nightmare the entire country has been living in for 22 months.”
The strike was announced last week, following the Israeli security cabinet’s decision to expand the war and take over Gaza City, despite the Israeli military’s warning that the operations could endanger the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
Israel’s largest labor organization, the Histadrut, did not join the strike, though it encouraged employers to let workers participate.
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