Israel was gripped by rare nationwide protests on Sunday as families of hostages held in Gaza staged a coordinated strike to pressure the government into cutting a deal for their release.
Demonstrators blocked highways, lit bonfires and gathered outside the homes of politicians, paralysing parts of the country in one of the largest protests since six hostages were found dead in Gaza last September.
The “day of stoppage” was organised by groups representing hostage families, who fear that Israel’s planned new offensive could endanger the estimated 50 captives still in Gaza. Only about 20 are thought to be alive.
“We don’t win a war over the bodies of hostages,” protesters chanted. Some restaurants, shops and theatres shut in solidarity, though Israel’s main labour union, Histadrut, stopped short of endorsing the strike. Police arrested 32 people and deployed water cannons against crowds blocking major intersections.
“Military pressure doesn’t bring hostages back – it only kills them,” said former hostage Arbel Yehoud at a rally in Tel Aviv. Anat Angrest, whose son is held in Gaza, added: “Today we stop everything to save and bring back the hostages.”
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tightrope. Far-right members of his coalition, including finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, insist they will not tolerate any deal that allows Hamas to remain in power. They accused protesters of “playing into Hamas’s hands.”
As unrest mounted at home, Israel extended its military campaign abroad. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck energy infrastructure in Yemen in response to missiles and drones launched by Iran-backed Houthis. A Houthi-run TV station reported a power plant near Sana’a was hit, sparking a fire and outages.
Inside Gaza, Israel’s military signalled preparations for a new assault on Gaza City. The body overseeing aid coordination said the UN would be allowed to bring in more tents ahead of planned mass evacuations.
More than 61,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to the territory’s health ministry. The UN warns of famine conditions, with seven children reported dead from malnutrition in the past 24 hours alone.
