Strike in Israel in solidarity with the Hamas hostages

Demonstrators blocked numerous roads in the country, including a central highway in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv. They waved blue and white Israeli national flags and yellow flags symbolizing solidarity with the hostages.

The demonstrators demanded an end to the Gaza war and the immediate release of the Hamas hostages. They also called on the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take Gaza and other areas in the Gaza Strip.

The hostages' organization had called for a nationwide strike on Sunday - the start of the Israeli working week. They will "bring the country to a standstill", said Einav Zangauker at a rally on Saturday evening - her son Matan is one of 20 living hostages in the Gaza Strip. However, the powerful trade union umbrella organization Histadrut did not join the strike.

At a demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, the sister of an agricultural student from Nepal, who was also abducted to the Gaza Strip in the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, also spoke for the first time. She said tearfully that there had been no sign of life from him for two years. According to Israeli information, only 20 of the 50 abductees are still alive.