As Israelis throughout the nation blocked roads Sunday and referred to as for an finish to the battle and a hostage launch deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the nationwide strike was making a ceasefire with Hamas much less probably.
The remarks have been met with anger from the households of hostages, who accused the prime minister of mendacity to the general public.
“Those that name immediately for ending the battle with out defeating Hamas aren’t solely hardening Hamas’s place and distancing the discharge of our hostages, they’re additionally making certain that the atrocities of October 7 will repeat themselves many times, and that our little kids should battle many times in an countless battle,” Netanyahu stated at first of the weekly cupboard assembly.
“To make progress on the discharge of our hostages and to make sure that Gaza will not be a menace to Israel, we should full the mission and defeat Hamas,” he continued, in feedback launched by the Prime Minister’s Workplace.
Netanyahu stated that he remained “decided to implement” the safety cupboard decision adopted earlier this month calling for the IDF to beat Gaza Metropolis, which was the impetus for Sunday’s strike.
The overall strike was organized by the October Council, which represents some members of the family of hostages and people killed on October 7 in addition to survivors of the assault who consider the battle towards Hamas in Gaza should finish, the hostages have to be introduced house, and Israel’s management should take accountability for failing to stop the Hamas-led slaughter.
Israelis block the Route 1 freeway close to Latrun throughout a protest calling for the discharge of the hostages, August 17, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Netanyahu averred that Hamas continues to refuse Israel’s circumstances for an finish to the battle in Gaza: “We insist not solely that Hamas be disarmed, but additionally that Israel implement the demilitarization of the Strip over time by means of steady motion towards any try at rearmament or group by any terror group.”
He burdened that Hamas desires Israel to exit Gaza fully, together with leaving the Philadelphi Hall alongside the Gaza-Egypt border and the safety perimeter round Gaza.
“This might permit Hamas to regroup, rearm, and assault us once more,” stated Netanyahu.
His feedback echoed those of numerous ministers in his coalition, who earlier Sunday accused the protesters and strikers of sowing division and strengthening Hamas.
A whole lot of native authorities, companies, universities, tech firms and different organizations have joined the strike or allowed staff to affix in the event that they wished to, though the Histadrut, the central labor union, declined to formally be a part of it. Protesters blocked roads and junctions at dozens of areas throughout the nation Sunday, with ongoing protests going down all through the day.
In an announcement, the Hostages Households Discussion board — an umbrella group that represents the vast majority of households of these nonetheless being held captive — accused Netanyahu of mendacity to the general public and rejecting alternatives to deliver their family members house.
“Netanyahu, for 22 months the hostages are languishing in Gaza — in your watch,” the group stated. “As an alternative of deceiving the general public, disseminating spin and slandering the households of hostages, deliver our family members again in a deal and finish the battle.”
Protesters demanding a hostage and ceasefire deal block Start Freeway in Jerusalem on August 17, 2025. (Charlie Summers/Occasions of Israel)
The group added that “immediately everybody in Israel already is aware of that there have been many alternatives to deliver the hostages again. The one who torpedoed, rejected and prevented [a deal] is the one who raised the value.”
Netanyahu has constantly rejected rising claims that he declined to comply with numerous ceasefire offers that would have secured the discharge of the hostages at a number of factors over the previous two years. The prime minister maintains that Hamas has made unimaginable calls for and has repeatedly walked away from the bargaining desk.
“They have been kidnapped from the Land of Israel below your accountability, Netanyahu, and so they have been there for 22 months,” the assertion from the Hostages Discussion board added. “The accountability to return them house is yours.”
The discussion board stated that “lots of of 1000’s” of individuals have joined Sunday’s protests and “1000’s of massive and small enterprise have closed their doorways to permit their staff to affix the clear name: solidarity, mutual accountability and bringing our family members again… the folks voted immediately with their toes and stated in a single clear voice: deliver the hostages and troopers house and finish the battle.”
Fifty hostages stay held captive in Gaza — 49 of the 251 taken hostage on October 7 and the physique of a soldier who was killed in 2014. Israeli officers have declared that 28 of them are useless, whereas 20 are believed to be alive and there are grave considerations for the well-being of two others.
Within the first ceasefire deal in November 2023, 105 hostages have been freed by Hamas, and one other 30 have been launched in one other deal in January and February 2025 alongside the our bodies of eight slain hostages which have been returned to Israel. 5 different hostages have been freed outdoors of those offers, whereas eight have been rescued by IDF troops and the our bodies of 49 captives have been recovered from Gaza all through the battle.
