Fierce Nationwide Strike In Israel As Families Demand Hostage Deal, Netanyahu Pushes Back Protests

<p>Israeli police fired water cannons and arrested dozens of demonstrators on Sunday as protests over the fate of hostages taken by Hamas escalated into a nationwide strike that disrupted daily life across the country.</p>
<p>The &ldquo;day of stoppage&rdquo; was organised by two groups representing hostage families and bereaved relatives, coming weeks after militants released harrowing videos showing frail captives and Israel announced plans for a new military offensive, reported AP.</p>
<p>Protesters fear that further fighting could endanger those still held in Gaza. Israel estimates that about 20 hostages remain alive, while Hamas is believed to be holding the remains of around 30 others.</p>
<p>Chanting &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t win a war over the bodies of hostages,&rdquo; crowds gathered at dozens of locations, including outside politicians&rsquo; homes, military headquarters and along major highways. Demonstrators lit bonfires, blocked roads, and in Tel Aviv, some carried photos of emaciated children from Gaza &mdash; a rare but increasingly visible symbol of anger over the humanitarian toll of the war.</p>
<p>Several restaurants and theatres closed in solidarity, while yellow ribbons, the emblem of the hostage families&rsquo; campaign, were distributed at intersections. Police said they detained 38 people nationwide, making it one of the most forceful crackdowns since six hostages were found dead in Gaza last September.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Military pressure doesn&rsquo;t bring hostages back &mdash; it only kills them,&rdquo; former hostage Arbel Yehoud told crowds in Tel Aviv&rsquo;s &ldquo;hostage square.&rdquo; Anat Angrest, whose son Matan remains in captivity, added: &ldquo;Today, we stop everything to save and bring back the hostages and soldiers. Today, we stop everything to remember the supreme value of the sanctity of life.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The demonstrations underline the mounting pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is juggling demands for a swift hostage deal against calls from within his coalition to press ahead with the war.</p>
<p>In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu appeared to push back at the protests, saying: &ldquo;Those who today call for an end to the war without defeating Hamas are not only hardening Hamas&rsquo;s position and delaying the release of our hostages, they are also ensuring that the horrors of Oct. 7 will be repeated.&rdquo;</p>
<p>For the families of those still in captivity, however, the message remained urgent and uncompromising: only a deal, not war, can bring their loved ones home.</p>