Israel Gaza latest news: General strike begins as anger over hostage deaths erupts into protest demanding ceasefire

The first general strike in Israel since the start of the war against Gaza was called for Monday, with the aim of shutting down or disrupting major sectors of the economy, including banking, healthcare and the country’s main airport.

As it got underway in the morning, airlines at Israel’s main international airport Ben-Gurion were halting outgoing flights between 8am and 10am local time (6am and 8am BST).

Those flights either departed early or were slightly delayed, and travellers were seen lining up at check-in counters despite the limited disruption. Arriving flights were continuing as usual during that time, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

Banks, some large malls and government offices were all closed due to the strike and public transit was limited.

Municipalities in Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, were participating in the strike, leading to shortened school hours and cancellations for public daycares and kindergartens.

Many municipalities, however, including Jerusalem, were not participating in the strike. Israeli media reported that the state appealed to a labour court to cancel the strike, saying it was politically motivated.

At least 40,786 Palestinians have been killed and 94,224 wounded in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the enclave’s health authorities said on Monday.

A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest against the government’s failure to return hostages held in Gaza has led to widespread closures and other disruptions – however, the call was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions in the country.

The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after six hostages were found dead in the Strip on Sunday, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the war.

But others support Mr Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining relentless military pressure on the group, saying it will eventually force the militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially lead to more successful rescues and ultimately annihilate the group.

A nationwide strike has started in Israel with public anger over the government’s failure to agree a Gaza ceasefire deal that would secure the release of hostages held by Hamas having erupted into mass protest.

Tensions spiked after the bodies of six hostages were recovered by soldiers on Saturday, causing national outrage.

My colleague Barney Davis reports:

The US President and Vice President are meeting with the US hostage deal negotiating team following the recovery of the bodies of six hostages who were killed by Hamas in Gaza, including the Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will hold the meeting in the White House today at 9.15am US time (2.15pm UK time) to “discuss efforts to drive towards a deal that secures the release of the remaining hostages”, said the White House this morning.

Graham appeared on ABC’s This Week on Sunday and opened up a line of attack against Harris’s foreign policy credentials – something that the Trump campaign has been trying to get off the ground this past week as it pushes back on criticism over a controversial visit to Arlington National Cemetery and a host of issues related to his running mate JD Vance.

“I would say on foreign policy, she [Harris] has been a wrecking ball,” Graham said on Sunday.

My colleague John Bowden reports from Washington DC:

Hamas’ armed wing al-Qassasm brigades claimed responsibility for two attacks against Israelis in the occupied West Bank on Friday, the group said in a statement on Monday.

The strikes follow months of protests by families representing some of the hostages and underscore the deep divisions that have opened up in Israel over Netanyahu’s approach to securing a ceasefire deal.

Despite pressure from his own defence minister as well as senior generals and intelligence officials, Netanyahu has insisted on maintaining Israeli troops in key points of the Gaza Strip after any ceasefire.

Hamas has rejected any Israeli presence and despite the efforts of Egyptian and Qatari diplomats and repeated visits to the region by senior US officials urging a deal, there has been no sign of a breakthrough in talks to halt the fighting and bring the hostages home.

Hamas still holds 101 hostages from the 253 seized when gunmen rampaged through Israeli communities around Gaza last October, killing 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and triggering a relentless Israeli assault that has laid waste to Gaza and killed more than 40,600 Palestinians.

Municipal services in several Israeli districts were disrupted on Monday after the country’s biggest labour union launched a general strike to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into agreeing to a deal to bring Israeli hostages in Gaza home.

The head of the Histadrut union, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers across the economy, called for the strike on Sunday after the bodies of six hostages were recovered in a tunnel in southern Gaza.

The return of the hostages, who were shot dead between 48-72 hours before being found by Israeli forces, according to health ministry estimates, triggered deep shock in Israel, prompting at least half a million people to take to the streets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in protest on Sunday.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sought to have the strike call dismissed by Israel’s Labour Court, which was due to meet mid-morning but numerous sectors were affected by the strike call, which was backed by many employer groups including manufacturers and the high tech sector.

Some services at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main air transport hub, were suspended, although incoming flights were still landing while bus and light rail services in many areas were either cancelled or only partially functioning.

Workers at Israel’s main commercial port Haifa were also on strike.

Hospitals were only partially operating and banks were not working but many private sector businesses were open. However employers were allowing staff to join the strike so many services were disrupted.