General strike in Israel begins | BBC News

BBC News

Israel is braced for a general strike as protests continue over what is seen as the government's failure to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Tensions have been running high since the bodies of six hostages were recovered by soldiers on Saturday, causing national outrage. On Sunday, tens of thousands of people rallied across Israel accusing PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of not doing enough to reach a deal over the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during the 7 October attack. The call for a one-day strike on Monday was issued by Israel's biggest labour union, Histadrut, whose leader, Arnon Bar-David, said the country was getting "body bags instead of a deal". The government has reacted angrily to the union's action, with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich accusing it of playing into the hands of Hamas. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news #Israel #BBCNews