Protesters in Israel staged a nationwide strike, blocking roads, closing businesses, and lighting bonfires, to demand a ceasefire with Hamas and the release of hostages from Gaza. The “day of stoppage” marked an escalation in the population’s frustration after 22 months of war.
Police responded with force, using water cannons and making dozens of arrests, including one protester who was forcibly taken into custody during a confrontation on a highway. The strike was organized by families of hostages and bereaved families, weeks after militant groups released videos of hostages and Israel announced plans for a new military offensive in Gaza.
Protesters fear that further fighting could put the 50 hostages believed to remain in Gaza at risk, with only about 20 thought to be alive. They chanted: “We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages.” The strike was peaceful, but some restaurants and theaters were closed in solidarity.
Israeli leaders criticized the protests, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying they benefited Hamas. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the strike as “a bad and harmful campaign that plays into Hamas’ hands.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation reported that at least 17 aid-seekers had been killed by Israeli forces on Sunday, including nine waiting for food trucks. The death toll among Palestinians in Gaza has climbed this summer, sparking outcry around the world.
Israel’s air and ground war has already killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza and displaced most of the population. The United Nations warns that levels of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at their highest since the war began.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/protesters-israel-nationwide-strike-demand-ceasefire-release-hostages-gaza