The Israeli Prisoners' Families Authority said in a statement that demonstrations and strikes took place across the country, with participation exceeding one million people. The statement emphasized that the activities, which concluded in "Prisoners' Square" in Tel Aviv, do not mean a halt to the movement against the government, and that it will continue to call for any demonstrations or protests until the prisoners are returned from Gaza.
The strike included the disruption of vital facilities and major companies, while demonstrators held up banners reading, "We will not let the government sacrifice the kidnapped," according to the commission.
On August 10, during a press conference in Tel Aviv, the families of prisoners and fallen soldiers announced their intention to launch a general strike on the 17th of this month.
Channel 12 reported that tens of thousands demonstrated in the central gathering in central Tel Aviv, demanding a prisoner exchange deal, even if the price was an end to the war in the Gaza Strip.
Major unions, including lawyers', doctors', and businessmen's unions, also participated, along with universities such as Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, the Open University in Tel Aviv, and the Hebrew University in West Jerusalem.
Hundreds of private companies, municipalities, and local organizations joined the strike, while Haaretz reported that dozens of Israeli artists, celebrities, and athletes had announced their support and participation in the move.
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Some local authorities, such as the Ramat Hanegev and Jezreel Valley councils, also joined the strike, while the Ben Gurion Airport Workers Union allowed workers to join individually, warning of congestion and delays.
The opposition and prisoners' families accuse Netanyahu of sabotaging the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas for political reasons related to preserving his coalition government and his desire to remain in power.
In return, Hamas affirms its willingness to release Israeli prisoners in one batch in exchange for an end to the war, the withdrawal of the occupation army from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Tel Aviv estimates that there are approximately 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Israel is holding more than 10,800 Palestinian prisoners in its prisons, many of whom suffer from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has claimed the lives of several, according to human rights reports.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The Israeli genocide left 61,944 Palestinians dead, 155,886 injured, most of them children and women, more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that claimed the lives of 258 people, including 110 children.
