Rare strike in Israel adds to pressure for ceasefire, hostage deal in Gaza – National

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Rare strike in ******* adds to pressure for ceasefire, ******** deal in Gaza – National

A rare general strike in ******* to protest the ******** to return hostages held in Gaza led to disruptions around the country on Monday, while U.S. President Joe Biden added to the pressure by saying ******** Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn’t doing enough to reach a deal for a cease-***** and ******** release.

The strike was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions in ******* over a cease-***** deal after nearly 11 months of fighting.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis had poured into the streets late Sunday in grief and anger after six more hostages were found ***** in Gaza. It appeared to be the largest protest since the start of *******’s military offensive in the ************ territory. The families and much of the public blamed Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with ******.

But others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining military pressure on ******, whose Oct. 7 ******* into ******* triggered the current conflict. They say it will force the militants to give in to ******** demands, potentially facilitate rescue operations and ultimately annihilate the group.

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Biden spoke to reporters as he arrived at the White House for a Situation Room meeting with advisers involved in negotiating a deal. Asked if Netanyahu was doing enough, Biden responded, “No.”

He insisted that negotiators remain “very close” to a deal, adding, “Hope springs eternal.”

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2:53
*******-******: Concern grows for remaining hostages in Gaza

****** has accused ******* of dragging out months of negotiations over a cease-***** by issuing new demands, including for lasting ******** control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. ****** has offered to release all hostages in return for an end to the conflict, the complete withdrawal of ******** forces and the release of a large number of ************ prisoners, including high-profile militants.

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Netanyahu has pledged “total victory” over ****** and blames it for the ******** of the negotiations, which have dragged on for much of this year.

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******* said the six hostages found ***** in Gaza were ******* by ****** shortly before ******** forces arrived in the tunnel where they were held. Three were reportedly scheduled to be released in the first phase of a cease-***** proposal discussed in July. The ******** Health Ministry said autopsies had determined the hostages were shot at close range and ***** on Thursday or Friday.

Thousands attended the ******** Monday for one of the six, ********-********* Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old native of Berkeley, California. He was one of the best-known hostages, and his parents had led a high-profile campaign for the captives’ release, meeting with Biden, Pope Francis, and addressing the Democratic National Convention last month.

“Sorry Hersh, sorry we couldn’t bring you back alive,” *******’s President Isaac Herzog said in a eulogy.

The general strike, called by *******’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, ended early after a labor court said it must end by 2:30 p.m. local time, accepting a petition from the government calling it politically motivated.

It was the first such strike since the start of the conflict, aiming to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking and health care.

Travelers are seen at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, *******, Monday Sept. 2, 2024. Outgoing flights at the airport were halted for two hours on Monday morning as part of a general strike launched in response to the deaths of hostages held in Gaza. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg).

Airlines at *******’s main international airport, Ben-Gurion, halted outgoing flights between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Those flights either departed early or were slightly delayed. Arriving flights continued as usual, according to the ******* Airports Authority.

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Israelis erupt in protest to demand a cease-***** after 6 more hostages **** in Gaza

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“There’s no need to punish the whole state of ******* because of what is happening, overall, it is a victory for ******,” said one passenger, Amrani Yigal.

But in Jerusalem, resident Avi Lavi said that “I think this is fair, the time has come to stand and to wake up, to do everything for the hostages to come back alive.”

The Histadrut said banks, some large malls and government offices had joined the strike, as well as some public transit services, although there did not appear to be major disruptions.

Municipalities in *******’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, participated, leading to shortened school hours. Other municipalities, including Jerusalem, did not participate.

Organizers of the demonstrations on Sunday estimated that up to 500,000 people joined nationwide events and the main rally in Tel Aviv. ******** media estimated that 200,000 to 400,000 took part.

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2:13
******** forces rescue ******** from Gaza

Many demand that Netanyahu reach a deal to return the remaining roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be *****, even if it means leaving a battered ****** intact and withdrawing from the territory. Other Israelis prioritize the destruction of the militant group over freedom for the hostages.

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Some 250 hostages were taken on Oct. 7. More than 100 were freed during a cease-***** in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by *******. Eight have been rescued by ******** forces. ******** troops mistakenly ******* three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

******-led militants ******* some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, when they stormed into southern ******* on Oct. 7. *******’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has ******* over 40,000 Palestinians, according to ****** health officials, who do not say how many were militants.

The conflict has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, often multiple times, and plunged the besieged territory into a humanitarian catastrophe, including new fears of a polio outbreak.

Associated Press writers Julia Frankel and Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed.

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