Families of captives in Gaza call for general strike in Israel

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also called for a "general strike". (Photo/Reuters)

Families of captives have called for a nationwide general strike starting Sunday night to force the government to reach a deal to secure the release of captives still held in Gaza.

The call came after the Israeli military found the bodies of six captives in a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, sparking outrage and anger among their families.

Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said it calls on the "public to join a massive demonstration, demanding a complete halt of the country and the immediate implementation of a deal to release the hostages".

It urged Israelis to demonstrate in Tel Aviv later on Sunday and asked the country's powerful Histadrut union to participate in the strike.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also called for a "general strike".

"They were alive but (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his cabinet of death decided not to save them," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"There are still hostages alive. We can still make a deal."

Sticking point in Gaza talks

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called on the government to reverse a decision to keep Israeli forces along the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt, a key sticking point in negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire.

"The cabinet must gather immediately and reverse the decision made on Thursday," Gallant said in a statement.

"We must bring back the hostages that are still being held by Hamas."

Families and friends of the captives have been holding weekly demonstrations against the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin N etanyahu since the war started on October 7.

The Palestinian fighters seized 251 captives during the assault, 97 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.

Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel has launched a massive military offensive in Gaza that so far has killed at least 40,738 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the besieged enclave.

Most of those killed are women and children, according to UN human rights office.

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Source: TRT