ISRAELI trade union federation the Histadrut looks set to bring Israel to a standstill on Monday as they take part in a general strike to demand a ceasefire and a return of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
According to local media, Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David was set to hold a meeting with the families of hostages this afternoon at his organisation’s headquarters in Tel Aviv to agree the arrangements.
This would be the first general strike since the Hamas attack on October 7 and comes after the bodies of six hostages were recovered by Israeli forces from inside a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of this morning.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum called on Histadrut, which represents some 800,000 workers, to call the strike after calling on the general public “to join a massive demonstration.”
Families of hostages are attempting to force the Israeli government to negotiate for the release of hostages still held captive in Gaza.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said they wanted the “public to join a massive demonstration, demanding a complete halt of the country and the immediate implementation of a deal to release the hostages.”
The campaigners are urging Israelis to join protests in Tel Aviv.
Dozens of businesses look set to join the strike with cinema chain Lev and restaurants saying they would close in solidarity this evening.
Families and friends of the hostages have been holding massive weekly anti-government demonstrations since 251 people were taken captive on October 7 after Hamas carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel during which 1,139 people were killed.
Daniel Lifshitz, whose grandson Oded Lifshitz is still being held hostage in Gaza, has called for “more support from everybody in the world” to secure the release of those still held captive there.
Mr Lifshitz said it was urgent for all sides to “seal the deal” to secure the remaining hostages’ release.
The military said the six hostages had been killed shortly before the arrival of Israeli forces trying to rescue them.
But senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq said they were killed during Israeli air strikes.
Mr Risheq also 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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of killing the hostages in “cold blood” and said Israel would hold the group accountable.
“Whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal,” he said.
