Mass Protests Erupt in Israel Following Execution of 6 Hostages by Hamas

Families and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip since October lift flags and placards during a rally calling for their release in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sept. 2, 2024. Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

Massive protests have swept Israel following the execution of six hostages in Gaza at the hands of Hamas.

On Monday, at least 500,000 demonstrated in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other cities, demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do more to bring home the remaining 101 hostages.

Protesters are pushing the government to accept a cease-fire deal to return the remaining hostages.

Standstill

The head of the Histadrut union, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers across the economy, called for the 24-hour Monday strike on Sunday.

“Tomorrow, the entire nation will come to a standstill and unite in a shared cry to bring the hostages back,” Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David said on Sunday to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who gathered at the rally in Tel Aviv.

“This is not a matter of right or left; it is a matter of life and death. All the heads of the security establishment support the deal, and it is the government’s responsibility to bring our hostages home. It is inconceivable that our children will not return because of narrow considerations and interests.”

Some services at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main air transport hub, were suspended and workers at Israel’s main commercial port, Haifa, were also on strike. Hospitals were only partially operating and banks were not working.

In Jerusalem, protesters blocked streets and demonstrated outside the prime minister’s residence, and aerial footage showed Tel Aviv’s main highway filled with people holding flags with pictures of the killed hostages, wearing black T-shirts that say, “Bring them home now.”

Footage showed police using water cannons to disperse demonstrators who had blocked roads. Local media reported 29 arrests.

6 Hostages

Early on Sunday, Israel announced that it had discovered the remains of six hostages in Gaza killed by Hamas shortly after an Israeli operation rescued another hostage nearby.

The bodies of hostages Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino were returned to Israel, military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters.

A forensic examination determined they were “murdered by Hamas terrorists in a number of shots at close range” 48–72 hours previously, an Israeli health ministry spokesperson said.

Israel’s war in Gaza began after Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages in attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The terrorist group is still holding 101 hostages.

Urge the Public

Hostage and Missing Families Forum—a campaign group set up to bring the hostages back home to their families—wrote on social media platform X:  “Yesterday, over half a million people flooded the streets across Israel, demanding an immediate deal.

“Today, the hostages’ families once again urge the public to leave the comfort of their homes and take the streets. They call on everyone to continue the fight alongside them for a deal to bring all hostages home.”

Netanyahu said on X said that Israel would not rest until it caught those responsible.

“Whoever murders hostages—does not want a deal,” he said.

He said that whoever murdered the abductees has “blood on his head.”

“We will hunt and get him,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli leadership has faced mounting calls to accept a deal for months, although extended negotiations between Israel and Hamas have not brought results.

Senior Hamas officials blamed Netanyahu.

“Netanyahu is responsible for the killing of Israeli prisoners,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

“The Israelis should choose between Netanyahu and the deal.”

Joseph Lord and Reuters contributed to this report.