Protestors block roads in Israel as general strike begins
Dozens of protesters have blocked Ibn Gvirol Street in Tel Aviv, demanding the government agree a deal to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas amid widespread public anger at the government’s handling of the war in Gaza.
Protesters also gathered at Shilat Junction near Modi’in and blocked a road in the northern city of Rosh Pina, the Times of Israel reported.
Histadrut – one of the country’s most powerful unions – announced the one-day strike, which started at 6am (local time) this morning. It is unclear how many people will join in.
Government and municipal offices are due to close, as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, is due to shut down at 8am local time (0600 BST) for an unknown period.
Key events
In an earlier post, we reported a suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeting a ship in the Red Sea earlier today. We have some more detail on this now.
Two projectiles hit the vessel, and a third explosion occurred near the ship, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre has said.
“Damage control is underway,” the UKMTO said. “There are no casualties onboard and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.”
The timing of the attack and coordinates offered by the UKMTO corresponded to the reported path of the Panama-flagged oil tanker Blue Lagoon I, now travelling south through the Red Sea to an unlisted destination, according to the Associated Press.
The Blue Lagoon I was coming from Russia’s port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea and had been broadcasting that it had Russian-origin cargo on board.
The Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack. They have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since Israel’s war in Gaza started in October, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians.
The UN agency for Palestine refugees (Unrwa) has said 87,000 children in Gaza have received the first dose of a polio vaccine.
“Efforts are ongoing to provide children with this key vaccine, but what they need most is a ceasefire now,” the agency wrote in a post on X as the vaccination campaign continues for a second day.
Unrwa, the main channel for humanitarian support for Palestinians, said the polio vaccine is “key” to children’s health, but stressed that what they need most is an immediate ceasefire.
The vaccinations are meant to be accompanied by three-day pauses in the fighting in several areas of the territory to allow the inoculation of more than 640,000 children. But despite this pledge, there were numerous reports of Israeli airstrikes killing Palestinian people in Gaza on Sunday.
The World Health Organization believes that 90% of children under 10 in Gaza must be immunised for the campaign to be effective.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a hostage family organisation, announced more than a dozen protest locations around the country, where demonstrators are expected to block traffic and demand that Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, agrees a hostage release deal. The locations are mostly major roads and intersections around Tel Aviv and the north.
אלפי מפגינים בעשרות מוקדי מחאה ברחבי הארץ בדרישה לשים סוף להפקרה!
רשימת מוקדי המחאה המתעדכנת באתר המטה: https://t.co/NyS4HssC8a pic.twitter.com/xmnau9tlUK
— מטה המשפחות להחזרת החטופים והנעדרים (@BringThemHome23) September 2, 2024
Of the 250 Israeli hostages seized on 7 October, eight have been rescued and more than 100 were released in an earlier temporary ceasefire deal in November. The discovery of the six bodies of the hostages at the weekend leaves 101 hostages still unaccounted for in Gaza. The IDF has confirmed 35 of them are known to have died during the more than 10 months of captivity.
Police are holding 25 protesters arrested yesterday evening in Tel Aviv, with some of them still being questioned, the Israel daily Haaretz reported.
Several demonstrators were injured by the police, including one who was allegedly beaten by officers in the chest and head and a man who was struck in the back by a stun grenade, Haaretz reported a doctors’ protest group as having said.
Protestors block roads in Israel as general strike begins
Dozens of protesters have blocked Ibn Gvirol Street in Tel Aviv, demanding the government agree a deal to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas amid widespread public anger at the government’s handling of the war in Gaza.
Protesters also gathered at Shilat Junction near Modi’in and blocked a road in the northern city of Rosh Pina, the Times of Israel reported.
Histadrut – one of the country’s most powerful unions – announced the one-day strike, which started at 6am (local time) this morning. It is unclear how many people will join in.
Government and municipal offices are due to close, as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, is due to shut down at 8am local time (0600 BST) for an unknown period.
Senior Israeli officials say Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is biding his time and will wait to see how big the protests become before deciding on a course of action, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
Netanyahu is widely accused of adding so many conditions to ceasefire negotiations as to make a deal impossible, due to opposition from far-right cabinet members in his government. They have said they will leave his coalition should he agree to a ceasefire, meaning Netanyahu may have to face long-standing corruption allegations.
“It’s unpleasant to admit, but Netanyahu will push for a deal only when the streets are burning,” one minister from his own party told Haaretz. “Right now, he fears [far-right ministers Itamar] Ben-Gvir and [Bezalel] Smotrich more than he fears the families of the hostages.”
Another official close to Netanyahu said “he fears a repeat of ‘Gallant night,’” referring to protests last year sparked by his firing of defence minister Yoav Gallant after he objected to Netanyahu’s judicial reforms.
Another source close to the prime minister said he would monitor public sentiment in the coming days and “bide his time as long as he can,” Haaretz reported.
Video from the Israeli attack on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City:
Kelly Burke
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) appears to have doubled down in a brewing legal battle with the concert pianist Jayson Gillham, whose performance was cancelled after a dedication on stage to Palestinian journalists who had died in the Gaza conflict.
The MSO was given a 5pm deadline last Thursday to respond to a letter by Marque Lawyers outlining Gillham’s concerns over the orchestra’s handling of his Melbourne performance, which was reinstated after widespread outcry.
That letter, which outlined how the MSO could resolve the issue without further legal recourse, appears to have prompted the MSO to double down on its initial decision that Gillham’s public political statement was improper and an abuse of his position.
The law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler, representing MSO, responded to Gillham’s letter late on Friday, stating the pianist had “abused his position by using an MSO concert to air his political opinions”.
In a statement issued on Monday, Gillham said he was deeply disappointed by the MSO’s legal response.
“The actions taken by the MSO constitute direct discrimination because of political belief or activity, which are protected under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (VIC) and also violate protections under the Fair Work Act 2009,” he said.
“These actions infringe my right to freedom of expression and my workplace rights.”
The MSO denied this.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in an advisory note on Monday that a merchant vessel has been hit by two unknown projectiles 70 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s Saleef.
The agency said damage control was underway and that a third explosion occurred in close proximity to the vessel, but that there were no casualties on board, according to Reuters.
Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched attacks on international shipping near Yemen since November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.
In one recent attack they set a Greek-registered oil tanker, carrying one million barrels of crude oil, on fire in the Red Sea. A salvage operation was set to begin last week but if a spill occurs it could be among the largest in recorded history and in an area that is particularly difficult to access.
11 Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on school housing displaced people, official says
Gaza health officials said an Israeli air strike targeting a group of policemen in a school sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least 11 people on Sunday.
“Eleven people, including a woman and girl, were killed when an Israeli air strike struck the Safad school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people,” civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP, adding several people were also wounded.
The Israeli military claimed its air force had struck a Hamas command centre in the Safad school.
“The IAF struck Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control centre embedded inside the area that previously served as the Safad school in Gaza City,” the military said in a statement.
Who is on strike in Israel?
The general strike is now underway in part of Israel, though not all areas and businesses are observing it.
Municipalities including Tel Aviv, Givatayim, Herzliya, Raanana, Kfar Saba and Hod Hasharon are taking part in the strike while others including Netanya and Sderot will hold solidarity strikes of several hours, local media reported. The municipality of Jerusalem has said it will not take part in the strike and nor will any municipality in the occupied West Bank.
All major banks are reportedly taking part while hospitals are running at weekend capacity. Pre-schools are striking while some schools will close in the late morning. Smaller food shops and supermarkets are expected to remain open though big shopping malls are closing.
Israel’s three major TV news channels – 11, 12 and 13 – announced changes to regular scheduling, replacing entertainment programmes with news and coverage of the hostages funerals.
Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport is closing between 8am and 10am, the Jerusalem Post reported, though this will not affect incoming flights. In Tel Aviv the light rail will come to a halt as will Haifa’s underground Carmelit railway. Major bus companies Egged, Dan and Metropolin are taking part.
Many private businesses including cinemas and restaurants are expected to close their doors.
The US could walk away from leading the Gaza ceasefire negotiations if the two sides fail to accept a final “take it or leave it” deal that it plans to present to Israel and Hamas in the coming weeks, the Washington Post has reported citing a senior Biden administration official.
“You can’t keep negotiating this. This process has to be called at some point,” the official said according to the Post. The Guardian could not independently verify the report.
The US paper said Washington had been discussing the deal with fellow mediators Qatar and Egypt since before the six dead Israeli hostages were discovered in a tunnel underneath Rafah on Saturday.
Biden officials said it was not immediately clear what effect their deaths would have on the negotiations.
The senior official quoted by the post said it should add urgency to the talks. “Does it derail the deal? No. If anything, it should add additional urgency in this closing phase, which we were already in,” they were quoted as saying.
On Sunday night, demonstrators cut off the Ayalon highway, the motorway running through the heart of Tel Aviv. They filled the road and lit a bonfire in the middle lane near Hashalom, drumming and singing. A few dozen police officers tried to contain the protest but were unable to push it back.
“Officer, officer, who are you protecting?” the crowd chanted, and then: “Bibi [Netanyahu], you’re killing the hostages.” Here are some pictures from last night’s protests:
Israel to hold nationwide general strike amid anger over failed hostage talks
Israel is braced for its first nationwide general strike since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, amid widespread public anger at the government’s handling of the war in Gaza after the discovery of the bodies of six hostages at the weekend.
Israel’s largest trade union, Histadrut, ordered a nationwide general strike from 6am on Monday that is expected to bring large parts of the economy to a halt. Government and municipal offices were due to close, as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, is due to shut down at 8am local time (0600 BST) for an unknown period.
Histadrut chair Arnon Bar-David said in a statement: “I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention can shake those who need to be shaken.
“A deal is not progressing due to political considerations and this is unacceptable.”
The mayors of Tel Aviv and nearby Givatayim announced that the municipalities would be striking on Monday to demand the return of the hostages, and more are expected to follow suit.
The action comes after tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Sunday night, cutting off the Ayalon highway, the motorway running through the heart of Tel Aviv and lighting fires in the streets. A few dozen police officers tried to contain the protest but were unable to push it back.
The union called the strike after campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum backed the idea in order to force the government to reach a deal for the return of the remaining hostages taken during Hamas’ attacks on 7 October. Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, also supported the move.
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the war in Gaza and the wider Middle East crisis.
Israel is set to hold a nationwide general strike on Monday as part of efforts to pressure the government to strike a hostage deal with Hamas, two days after the bodies of six Israeli hostages were discovered in a tunnel underneath Gaza.
Crowds estimated by Israeli media to number up to 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, about of a third of whom Israeli officials estimate have died.
Scores were released during a one-week truce in November, but relatives believe not enough is being done to free those still held.
Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said a negotiated “deal for the return of the hostages” was urgently needed. “Were it not for the delays, sabotage and excuses” in months of mediation efforts, the six hostages “would likely still be alive”, a statement said.
The families called for a nationwide general strike to force the government to reach a deal.
Shortly afterwards, the head of Israel’s powerful Histadrut trade union ordered a “complete strike” beginning at 6am (0300 GMT) on Monday in support of the hostages. Government and municipal offices were due to close, as well as schools and many private businesses. Israel’s international airport, Ben Gurion, is due to shut down at 8am local time (0600 BST) for an unknown period.
At least 40,738 Palestinians have been killed and 94,154 injured in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, its health ministry said on Sunday. The count, which doesn’t include the thousands thought to be buried under the rubble, includes thousands of Palestinian children.
In other developments:
-
Israeli forces continued their deadly offensive on the city of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, and its refugee camp for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday. The total number of Palestinians killed since Israeli forces began large-scale raids in the northern West Bank on Wednesday is now 24, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israeli forces and settlers have killed almost 680 Palestinians in the West Bank since 7 October, including about 150 children.
-
Three Israeli police officers were killed after their vehicle was shot at near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military later confirmed it had killed the suspected attacker.
-
Gaza health officials said an Israeli airstrike targeting a school sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least 11 people on Sunday. “Eleven people, including a woman and girl, were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck the Safad school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people,” civil defence agency spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP, adding several people were also wounded. The Israeli military claimed it had struck a Hamas command centre.
-
Palestinian health authorities and UN agencies have begun a large-scale campaign of vaccinations against polio in the Gaza Strip. More than 150,000 Palestinians in Gaza are estimated to be affected by infectious conditions such as dysentery, pneumonia and severe skin diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel and its destruction of health facilities as part of its campaign against Hamas.
-
The head of the Christian political party Lebanese Forces on Sunday accused Hezbollah of dragging the country into a war with Israel without consulting the people. In a speech attacking the Shiite Muslim group, Samir Geagea, who heads the main Christian bloc in parliament, accused Hezbollah of “confiscating the Lebanese people’s decision on war and peace, as if there were no state”.
