Israeli protests surge: Netanyahu is “murdering” hostages and Israeli society is “collapsing”

Shafaq News/ Anger has erupted across Israel following the government's announcement of recovering the bodies of six hostages found in a tunnel in Gaza.

On Saturday evening, the Israeli army announced the discovery of several bodies during an operation in the Gaza Strip, while on Sunday, Israeli authorities revealed the identities of the six recovered bodies.

In response, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum called for strikes, protests, and a nationwide shutdown on Sunday, demanding the government's resignation.

“If it weren’t for the saboteurs, the excuses, and the spin, the hostages whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably be alive,” the forum posted on X.

“Netanyahu: enough of the excuses. Enough of the spin. Enough of the abandonment. The time has come to bring our hostages home — those living for rehabilitation and the fallen and murdered for burial in their land,” the forum added.

In turn, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant commented on the recovery of the bodies, “The security cabinet must convene immediately and reverse the decision made on Thursday.” This decision, pushed through by Netanyahu, endorsed maps he requested, which were already shared with Hamas by mediators. The maps outlined plans to keep Israeli troops stationed along the 14-kilometer Philadelphi Corridor, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, during the initial six-week phase of the stalled potential deal.

“It is too late for the hostages who were murdered in cold blood. The hostages who remain in Hamas captivity must be returned home,” he pointed out.

Benny Gantz, leader of the Israeli State Camp party, called on the public to take to the streets, stating, "It is time to replace this utterly failed government," referring to Netanyahu's administration. Gantz accused Netanyahu of "fear and hesitation," prioritizing political calculations over rescuing the captives.

He further criticized the Prime Minister, stating, "Netanyahu must protect the hostages, not his coalition dominated by extremists.”

“The hostages are dying, children are being evacuated from the north, and Israeli society is collapsing."

In this context, opposition leader Yair Lapid echoed these sentiments, accusing Netanyahu and his "government of death" of refusing to rescue the hostages, calling on labor unions and local authorities to shut down the economy in protest.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted a senior government official claiming that “Netanyahu is blocking an agreement to avoid collapsing his government.”

Michel Illouz, the father of Guy Illouz, who was killed at the Supernova music festival and whose body was taken to Gaza, urged the prime minister to understand that “defeating Hamas is impossible without bringing the hostages back home.”

“He’s scared of losing his job and we’re paying the price — and that’s more important to you than the lives of the hostages,” said Illouz. “My boy was killed, he won’t come back alive but those who are still alive in the tunnels of Hamas, we have to bring them home alive, now.”

“Netanyahu is murdering the hostages,”an Israeli mother also confirmed.

However, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a Netanyahu ally, responded to the discovery of the bodies, saying, "We will continue to battle Hamas until it is completely destroyed and our sons are brought back.” He condemned what he called the "political exploitation" of the situation by other parties.

Meanwhile, hundreds of business leaders, mayors, and hospital directors responded to the Israeli labor union's call for a general strike on Monday, with the union indicating that some mayors would also join the strike to pressure the government into reaching a ceasefire agreement with Hamas and securing the hostages' release from Gaza.

Additionally, Israeli media reported that several restaurants would close at 6:00 PM to encourage public protests against the government. Restaurants in central Israel also announced early closures to protest the government's failure to secure an agreement for the release of the hostages in Gaza and to urge the public to take to the streets.