Although ceasefire negotiations began several months ago, many blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to reach an agreement.
The Israeli army admitted the difficulty of rescuing the dozens of remaining hostages and said that only an agreement could bring them back.
Three of the six hostages whose bodies were found were due to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire proposal discussed in July, adding to the anger and frustration among protesters.
Widespread anger
Thousands of Israelis, some crying, gathered outside Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem, and relatives of the hostages demonstrated in Tel Aviv, carrying coffins as a symbol of the losses.
“We really believe that the government is making these decisions for its own sake, not for the lives of the hostages, and we need to tell them, ‘Enough,’” said Shlomit Hacohen, a Tel Aviv resident.
“There’s nothing worse than knowing that they could have been saved,” said Dana Lutale. “Sometimes it takes a really terrible thing to get people moving and get them out into the streets.”
The military said all six hostages were killed shortly before Israeli forces arrived.
Commenting on the issue, Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the failure of the negotiations, saying: “Anyone who kills hostages does not want a deal.”
Calls for a general strike
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Sunday for a strike to shut down the country’s economy in order to pressure the government to reach an agreement to release the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Lapid, who was previously prime minister, called on every Israeli who was “heartbroken this morning” to participate in a large protest in Tel Aviv Later today.
The opposition leader also asked Israel’s main labor federation, companies and municipalities to participate in the Strike.
For his part, the head of the Israeli trade union federation, the Histadrut, called for a general strike on Monday to pressure the government to reach an agreement to return the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
He said that Ben Gurion Airport, the main air transport hub in Israel, will close starting at 8:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT).
The Israeli Manufacturers Association also said it supported a strike, and criticized the government for failing to return the hostages alive, which the association called a “moral duty.”
Philadelphia Corridor vs. Hostage Deal
Netanyahu has vowed to continue fighting until Hamas is eliminated, but critics have accused the prime minister of putting his personal interests above those of the hostages.
The end of the war is likely to lead to an investigation into his government’s failures in the October 7 attacks, the collapse of the government and early elections.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu had a falling out with his defense minister, Yoav Galant, last week, who accused him of prioritizing control of the strategic Philadelphi Corridor – along the Gaza-Egypt border and a major sticking point in the talks – over the lives of the hostages.
The cabinet reportedly voted to stay in the corridor despite objections from Galant, who said it would prevent a hostage deal.
About 250 hostages were taken by Hamas on October 7, and Israel believes 101 are still being held, including 35 who are believed to be dead.
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