Israelis took to the streets and participated in general strikes on Monday, fueled by growing frustration over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration’s inability to finalize a cease-fire with Hamas. This agreement is crucial for the release of Israeli hostages who have been held captive by the militant group in Gaza for nearly 11 months.

The protests were sparked by the tragic discovery of the bodies of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, which were found in a tunnel in Rafah, a southern city in Gaza, close to Egypt.

Goldberg-Polin’s funeral took place on Monday in Jerusalem. He was only 23 years old. At the memorial, Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed regret on behalf of the state, saying, “I apologize that we failed to protect you.” Goldberg-Polin’s parents vowed to honor his legacy, with his father Jon Polin stating, “May his memory be a revolution.”

Those protesting are urging Netanyahu to take decisive action to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages. Officials estimate that about a third of these captives may have died while in custody. Critics accuse Netanyahu of stalling negotiations for his political benefit, as his governing coalition consists of far-right parties that are opposed to any deal with Hamas.

In response, Netanyahu has attributed the lack of progress to Hamas’s actions.

However, a cousin of Carmel Gat, one of the hosts whose body was found, stated during a press conference that the true roadblocks to an agreement are the “delays” caused by the Netanyahu administration.

“All six of them were held together and all six of them were killed in captivity,” Gal Dickmann remarked.

“We could have saved all of them.”

The Israeli military commenced its operations in Gaza following the deadly attacks by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the kidnapping of 251 others. Since then, more than 40,000 Palestinians have reportedly died in Gaza due to Israeli actions, according to the health ministry controlled by Hamas. Violence has also increased in the West Bank, another Palestinian region.

Latest updates:

∎Israel faced significant disruptions in businesses, schools, banks, and airports as Histadrut, one of the country’s largest unions, initiated a general strike urging the government to reach a hostage agreement with Hamas. Families of the hostages have been pleading with Netanyahu for months to secure the release of their loved ones. On Sunday, approximately 500,000 people gathered in cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv after the bodies of Goldberg-Polin, Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino were returned to Israel.

∎An Israeli court ruled that the strikes must conclude by 2:30 p.m. local time, a deadline that has come and gone, though it remains unclear if the protesters complied with the order.

∎The Washington Post indicated that the Biden administration plans to present a definitive “take it or leave it” proposal for a cease-fire and the release of hostages to both Israel and Hamas in the coming weeks. This initiative involves close cooperation with Egypt and Qatar and may represent the last opportunity for a resolution brokered by the U.S.

∎Funerals for some of the six recovered hostages are underway. Reports indicate that during Almog Sarusi’s service, his mother condemned the circumstances surrounding his death, saying: “You were sacrificed for the fight against Hamas, in Rafah, in the Philadelphi Corridor. Enough, no more. We need a deal!” The Israeli health ministry has stated that a forensic review concluded the hostages were “murdered by Hamas terrorists from close range” 48 to 72 hours before their bodies were found.

∎In Gaza, medical teams have been rapidly working to vaccinate nearly 650,000 children against polio, with Israel granting limited breaks in the fighting to aid the effort. Recently, Gaza reported its first polio case in 25 years. A 10-month-old boy who contracted the virus is now paralyzed in one leg.