Tens of thousands rally in Tel Aviv to demand ceasefire deal, release of hostages

Israel’s main labour union has ordered a nationwide general strike after soldiers recovered the bodies of 6 dead hostages

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Protesters block Tel Aviv’s Ayalon motorway on Sunday during an anti-government rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:59pm, 1 Sep 2024Updated: 2:47pm, 2 Sep 2024

Tens of thousands of people joined a mass rally in Tel Aviv late on Sunday to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza war after the Israeli military said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages from Gaza.

Many protesters were carrying Israeli flags, and six caskets were put up on a stage to commemorate the dead hostages.

Police detain a protester at an anti-government rally in Tel Aviv, Israel on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Demonstrators also blocked a central motorway in Tel Aviv, while people also took to the streets in other Israeli cities.

The protesters called on the government to quickly agree to a ceasefire deal and secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Indirect negotiations on a ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian extremist group Hamas, mediated by Egypt, the United States and Qatar, have been at a stalemate for month.

Israel’s labour federation Histadrut has called for a general strike on Monday to up the pressure on the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a hostage deal.

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has asked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to submit an urgent request to courts to block the planned strike.