Tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets last night and a general strike was called for the country amid an eruption of public outrage against the government after the deaths of six hostages being held by Hamas deep underground in Gaza.
The discovery of the hostages' bodies over the weekend threatened to bring profound tensions among Israelis over the war in Gaza to a boiling point.
An estimated 100,000 protesters took to the streets in Tel Aviv while others protested in Jerusalem as pressure peaked on the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to reach a ceasefire deal to bring the remaining hostages home.
The first general strike since March last year is expected to bring large parts of Israel's economy to a halt today.
Government and municipal offices were due to close, as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel's international airport, Ben Gurion, is due to shut down at 8am local time for an unknown period.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the bodies of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino were found in tunnels "dozens of metres" underground during fighting in the town of Rafah in southern Gaza. The six were seized during Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israel.
The health ministry said that a forensic examination on the bodies showed the hostages had been "murdered by Hamas terrorists in a number of shots at close range" 48-72 hours before they were found.
The findings pointing to Hamas executions did little to deflect widespread fury towards Netanyahu and his rightwing coalition for failing to agree a US-backed hostages-forpeace deal with Hamas, which has been on the negotiating table since late May.
In a statement mourning the six hostages, the prime minister blamed Hamas for refusing to accept the deal.
Denne historien er fra September 02, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 02, 2024-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Consumer champions
BT has left my father, 80, with no phone for months.
Money hacks How to save a bundle on children's clothes
Charity shops can be a goldmine for bargains - use the Charity Retail Association's online search page to find ones that stock children's clothes, or in London, head to one of FARA's 14 stores that specialise in kids' clothes.
University students Why are tuition fees going up and who does it affect?
The government has announced fees in England will rise to £9,535 in 2025. Shane Hickey gives you the lowdown on the changes
British Airways owner IAG's profits up 15%
Strong demand for transatlantic travel has bolstered the profits of International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, with the UK national carrier outperforming rivals despite widespread European flight delays.
Taking the plunge Seven date ideas that won't break the bank
You certainly don't need to spend a fortune to have a fun and romantic time, whether it's your first date or the 101st.
The price of love How much does dating cost - and who pays the bill?
Hinge+ costs £14.99 for a week, £24.99 for one month, £49.99 for three months and £74.99 for six months. One week of HingeX costs £24.99, a month is £44.99, three months £89.99 and six months comes in at £129.99.
China offers £646bn to local government but balks at big stimulus
China has announced 10tn yuan in debt support for local governments and other economic measures, but stopped short of a \"bazooka\" stimulus package many analysts expected.
Secret diary of TV freelancer Brutal hours, fear, panic - and finally a kick in the teeth
An anonymous producer writes about their experiences of the brutal hours, low budgets and high stress of television production
Shares plunge for housebuilder Vistry after new profit warning
Shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.
Families may get post office compensation, says minister
The postal minister has said that family members and employees of post office branch owners who have not been eligible to make claims over the Horizon IT scandal may be allowed to apply for compensation.
