Tens of thousands gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square and in front the army headquarters on Saturday evening, August 9, to protest the Israeli cabinet’s decision to approve far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to occupy all Gaza Strip. Additional protests and rallies take place Saturday throughout the country, including at the southern Sha’ar HaNegev Junction, Haifa, Kiryat Gat, Jerusalem, Nahariya, Raanna, Herzliya, Beer Sheva, Carmiel, Neve Ilan, Rosh Pina. Beit Shean, Gome Junction, Kabri Junction, Karkur Junction, Lohamei Hageta’ot, Beit Haemek, Nahalal, Karkur Junction and Horfish Junction.
“Never again” and “Refuse to war,” young communists protesters gathering in front of the army headquarters in Tel Aviv, August 09, 2025 (Photo: Miriam Alster/Flash90)
Following a big gathering at Hostages Square, hostages’ families begin a march around the army headquarters in protest of the Gaza occupation plan, joining protesters and other hostages’ families from the anti-government protest outside the Begin Street entrance to the army headquarters.
During that protest, speakers urged soldiers to refuse to serve in Gaza and called on opposition heads as well as business, labor and academic leaders to bring the country to a general strike. At the same time, dozens of activists split from the main march in Tel Aviv and are blocking the central Ayalon highway in both directions in several points. The activists burned tires in one of their blocking points and three were arrested by police.
Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held hostage in Gaza, calls on Israelis to launch a general strike to pressure the government into reaching a deal with Hamas to end the war and secure the release of all the captives. “The living will be murdered, and the dead will disappear forever,” Zangauker says. The quotes from that meeting prove that this is not a security cabinet, this is a cabinet of death. This measure has no support from the public,” she says. “Stop the country and its economy,” she appeals, calling on the country to go on a general strike. I will finish with a direct call to the prime minister: If you conquer parts of Gaza and the hostages are murdered, we will pursue you. Your hands will be stained by the blood of the kidnapped.”
Also, Anat Angrest, whose son Matan Angrest is held hostage in Gaza, calls for a general strike in Israel after the government approves a plan to fully occupy Gaza. “Dear mothers, friends, heads of the economy, the struggle is not only ours – the families of the hostages,” she writes in a post on X. “Will you be with me when I call for everything to come to a stop, to strike?” she asks. Mother of hostage soldier Nimrod Cohen, Vicky Cohen, issued a similar appeal to the public. “The security cabinet decided to, in full awareness, give up on my son Nimrod and all the hostages,” she wrote on X. “There is only one way to stop this: to stop everything. Why isn’t the economy shut down? The silence is killing them! Will you join me in my call?” Liran Berman, whose brothers Gali and Ziv are being held hostage, wrote on X. “Where are the workers and business leaders? Where is the entire public? Thousands of protests at Hostage Square on Shabbat isn’t enough.”
On Sunday morning, families of hostages and fallen soldiers have called for a nationwide strike on Sunday, August 17, demanding to stop the war to save hostages and soldiers. At a press conference in Tel Aviv, members of the October Council announced the strike in protest of the cabinet’s decision to occupy Gaza City, “which endangers hostages and soldiers.” Vicky Cohen, mother of Nimrod, a hostage, said “We must strike together next Sunday at 7 A.M. to bring back hostages and save soldiers.” Hadash-Ta’al chair, MK Ayman Odeh comes out in favor of the strike, calling on “all citizens of Israel” to participate and arguing that it is impossible to continue the extermination war and occupation.
However, Histadrut Communications Division Chairman Yaniv Levy addressed calls to shut down the economy due to the cabinet’s decision to occupy Gaza, announcing that “there will be no strike, because at this stage it would not help the struggle and the pain of the hostages’ families.” In an interview with Ynet news site, he said: “In the past, [Histadrut chief] Arnon Bar-David made a brave decision to shut down the economy and the court stopped it, but now a strike would not serve the purpose.” He added that “a strike is a means, not an end; we need to see how to use this doomsday weapon. At this moment a general strike in the economy will not happen, despite all the pain and understanding.”
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32911
