As Israel’s state-owned Netivei Israel—National Transport Infrastructure Company announced at 11 a.m. the roads were cleared of blockages connected with the nationwide strike, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit Party took to social media platform X to announce that Sunday’s protest had failed.
“The strike that failed today, from the Kaplan workshop, is a continuation of the strikes and encouragement to refuse [IDF service] before Oct. 7,” Ben-Gvir wrote, referring to judicial reform protests that preceded the ones regarding the hostages, and which were centered around Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv.
By “encouragement to refuse,” Ben-Gvir referred to the organizers of those earlier demonstrations, who called for IDF soldiers to refuse to report for duty in solidarity with the protest.
“These are the same people who weakened Israel then and are trying to do so again today. This strike strengthens Hamas and delays the return of the hostages. Of course, they will later blame the Israeli government. This is what a cynical political maneuver at the expense of the hostages looks like,” Ben-Gvir added.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, chairman of the Religious Zionism Party, also said the strike appeared to be failing. “All in all, very few people have chosen to disrupt the daily routine of Israeli citizens and block their way to work,” he posted to X on Sunday.
Smotrich said it shows that Israelis have not been taken in by a very expensive campaign of “emotional brainwashing.”
“They understand that a country that wants to live cannot surrender to its enemies and stop the war just before the destruction of Hamas, the removal of the threat posed by Gaza for many years, and the return of all the hostages,” he said.
The strike began at 6:45 a.m. with an enormous display at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, where a massive Israeli flag featuring photographs of the hostages was unfurled.
Demonstration organizers reported that 400 protest focal points were established nationwide.
Police issued preparatory statements at 6:01 a.m. emphasizing that “freedom of protest does not mean freedom to ignite fires.” Law enforcement announced deployment of “reinforced forces at various focal points nationwide, to enable freedom of protest in all sectors.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv on Sunday and met with the families of some of those still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
“I’m here to say to the international media and to the international decision makers: Our sons and daughters are there in the dungeons of Gaza for 681 days. We want them back home as soon as possible,” Herzog said.
“Stop being a bunch of hypocrites,” he said, urging the international community to pressure Hamas and say, there’s “no deal, no nothing, until you release them.”
The president was flanked by Sharon Sharabi and Yael Adar.
Sharon is the brother of Eli Sharabi, who survived 491 days in Hamas captivity after his wife and daughters were murdered by Hamas terrorists in their home on Oct. 7, 2023.
Yael is the mother of Tamir Adar, who fell in battle against Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, and whose body is still held by Hamas.
Hamas holds 20 living hostages and the bodies of 30 others.
