In the aftermath of Hamas’s tragic murder of six captives, Israel is experiencing increased pressure to approve a ceasefire in Gaza. Soldiers have managed to recover the bodies of the hostages from a Rafah tunnel; the six being Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino.
Unprecedented numbers of people, in their hundreds of thousands, rallied in nationwide protests across Israel on Sunday evening. Roadblocks were set up at entrances to Jerusalem and main roads, with the protestors displaying symbolic coffins covered in Israeli flags, with many shouting accusatory remarks at prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
The Histadrut trade union federation has announced a general strike planned for Monday, as a way of encouraging the government to conclude the war and secure the safe return of the remaining hostages. The killing of hostages in Gaza reportedly occurred moments before Israeli military personnel could reach them.
Histadrut leader, Arnon Bar-David declared, “Our children’s murder in the Gaza tunnels cannot continue unaddressed. A ceasefire agreement is of utmost importance.”
On Sunday evening, several establishments like eateries and movie theatres temporarily ceased operations, motivating clients to join the protest movement.
Keeping in view the autopsy reports of the six hostages, who managed to survive over 300 days in captivity, Israeli authorities have confirmed that they were shot multiple times at close proximity either on Thursday or Friday.
Popular music festival Nova was the site of abduction for five out of the six hostages during the attack on October 7th, while Carmel Gat was abducted from kibbutz Be’eri. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was of American-Israeli ancestry, was internationally recognised due to the efforts of his parents, Rachel and Jon, who had been actively campaigning to raise awareness about their son’s situation.
US President Joe Biden voiced his devastation and anger regarding the incident, stating “Hamas will pay for these crimes” while confirming the tragic death of four out of the eight American hostages.
In a recorded statement, Mr Netanyahu, who has famously supported the notion of military force as an effective measure for liberating hostages, laid the blame squarely on Hamas for the absence of a ceasefire. He stated, “Any entity that takes lives of hostages has no interest in negotiation,” and sharply alerted Hamas terrorists that their own lives are now in jeopardy.
On Thursday, the issue raised by the Israeli cabinet to keep Israeli forces stationed along the Gaza-Egypt Philidelphi passage, was approved. This decision is perceived as a significant impediment to any attempt to bring this war to a halt. Defence Secretary, Yoav Gallant, who is a supporter of a ceasefire, suggested that the government should go back on its decision.
Hamas retorted that the captivity victims had been “subjected to death by Zionist bombing” and shifted the culpability of their deaths onto Israel and America.
Ireland too voiced its disapproval globally of the ghastly killings. Irish President Michael D Higgins conveyed, “In this grave situation watched by the world, the unanimous call must be for the release of any remaining captives by Hamas. The demand is for an immediate ceasefire, a serious prisoner exchange to occur, and swift delivery of necessary aid to those who need it.”
Similarly, Simon Harris, the Irish Prime Minister labelled the killings of hostages in Gaza as “incensing” and echoed the demand for cease fire to be immediate and enduring. Micheál Martin, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs reported great sorrow over the ill-fated news.
Israeli forces executed an assault on a school in Gaza City which they alleged was being utilised by Hamas as an operational headquarters.
The inaugural day of a polio immunisation drive all over Gaza took place on Sunday. Both Israel and Hamas approved a three-day “compassionate lull” in the conflict to allow the vaccination initiative, which was aimed at coastal enclave’s 640,000 children. This comes after Gaza recorded its first case of polio in a span of 25 years last month.