Israelis Hold Nationwide Protests to End Gaza War

While Histadrut, Israel’s main labor union, said it would not be joining the strike, union chief Arnon Bar-David spoke at Sunday’s demonstration in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square with a message of solidarity.

“This is not an issue of left and right. This is an issue of bringing people back, bringing back people who were kidnapped, kidnapped from their bed, kidnapped from their shift and from their tank,” Bar-David told demonstrators.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Sunday’s demonstrations made it clear that the overwhelming majority of people in the Jewish state back an end to the war with Hamas to save the remaining hostages.

“There’s no Israeli who doesn’t want them back home,” Herzog said. “We can argue about philosophies, but truly, the people of Israel want our brothers and sisters back home.”

When it comes to the hostages, Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed that military pressure is the best way to free the hostages — a sentiment rejected by former captive Arbel Yehoud, whose boyfriend, Ariel Cunio, is still being held by Hamas.

“I know firsthand what it’s like to be in captivity. I know that military pressure doesn’t bring hostages back — it only kills them,” Yehoud told the crowd in Tel Aviv on Sunday.

“The only way to bring them back is through a deal, all at once, without games.”