Overview

• Hundreds of thousands of Israelis joined a general strike that brought major cities and highways to a standstill, with organizers estimating over 200,000 participants in Tel Aviv’s central rally.
• Hostage families and activists led calls to “close the country” until the roughly 50 captives taken on October 7, 2023—including about 20 believed alive—are returned home immediately.
• Clashes between demonstrators, including reservists, and heavily deployed police resulted in around 38 arrests for disrupting public order during road blockades and sit-ins.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his hard-line ministers condemned the protests as aiding Hamas and insisted military plans must proceed without pause.
• The IDF says it will concentrate its next ground offensive on Gaza City and has pre-positioned tents and facilities for mass evacuations, while disputing reports that an airstrike struck Al Ahli hospital.