There is a general strike in Israel over hostages

General strike in Israel over hostages leads to uneven closures: The case for a dead hostage of Hersh Goldberg-Polin

The war has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe.

1,100 people were killed when the militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

They are demanding that Netanyahu reach a deal to return the remaining roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead, even if it means leaving a battered Hamas intact and withdrawing from the territory. Many Israelis support this position, but others prioritize the destruction of the militant group over freedom for the hostages.

He was a best-known hostage, his parents were involved in a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release, and they spoke at the Democratic National Convention last month.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who lost his arm in the attack, was one of the six hostages. In April, Hamas issued a video that showed him alive, sparking protests in Israel.

Hamas blamed their deaths on Israel and the United States, accusing them of dragging out the talks by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Source: General strike in Israel over hostages leads to uneven closures

Israel’s largest protests since the end of the Second World War: Planned mass mobilization for the first time since the start of the war

The demonstrations on Sunday appeared to be the largest since the start of the war, with organizers estimating that up to 500,000 people joined nationwide events and the main rally held in Tel Aviv. The media in Israel estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 people took part.

Banks, some large malls and government offices were all closed because of the strike. Public daycare and kindergartens in Israel’s populated central area were forced to close their doors for a day as a result of the strike.

Airlines at Israel’s main international airport stopped outgoing flights between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. The travelers were seen lining up at the check-in counter despite the little disruption, even though the flights departed early or were slightly delayed. Arriving flights were continuing as usual during that time, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Israel’s largest trade union called for a general strike on Monday, the first since the start of the war. Major sectors of the economy include banking, health care, and the country’s main airport.

The fate of Israel and the fate of its hostage(s) in a war of aggression between Israel and its neighbor: The Jewish legacy of Abraham

The most important reason to fight a war is not survival but to stop its repetition. Hundreds of soldiers have been killed in the fight against Hamas. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have died and thousands more have suffered because of Hamas’ fanatical aims. Hamas was able to initiate and fight this war only because of a secure line of logistical supply under its border with Egypt.

These two reference points have become a central topic of discussion in the debate about the future of Gaza. Huge demonstrations in Tel Aviv coincide with the funerals of six murdered hostages, and demanded that the prime minister agrees to a cease-fire deal in order to release additional hostages. Netanyahu has refused, insisting in a news conference on Monday that Israeli forces will not leave.

Shalit, an Israeli soldier, was captured by Hamas in 2006 and held in Gaza. He was released five years later in exchange for a large number of Palestinian security prisoners. The Prime minister of Israel approved a deal to allow the release of the mastermind of Oct. 7.

Since the days of Abraham — who, according to Genesis, rescued his nephew Lot after he’d been seized by an invading army — Jewish tradition has placed supreme value on the redemption of captives. It is the fulfillment of an implicit commandment: to be your brother’s keeper. It is also a source of Jewish communal unity to always look out for those who have been taken even if only to give them a proper burial.