Israeli official: Netanyahu concerned about protests, strikes in Israel

Protesters rallied across Israel on Sunday, demanding a prisoner swap deal after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six Israeli captives it said were killed by Hamas in Gaza, with Netanyahu taking blame from critics who say he did not prioritize the return of the detainees.

Netanyahu threatened on Sunday to make the factions’ movement “pay the price” after the Israeli army found the bodies of 6 detainees in the Gaza Strip, and 3 police officers were killed in a shooting operation carried out this morning near the Tarqumiya checkpoint, south of the West Bank, while Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to “reduce the area of ​​the Gaza Strip and cleanse the area located two kilometers deep along the Strip.”

In his first comment on the return of the bodies of the six detainees, Netanyahu said in a video statement issued by his office that “the factions movement does not want to reach a deal,” and continued threateningly: “I say to the Hamas fighters who killed our hostages, and I say to their leaders: Your blood is forfeit. We will not rest and we will not be silent. We will hunt you down, we will get to you and we will hold you accountable.”

For its part, the Histadrut, the Israeli Federation of Trade Unions, announced this evening a comprehensive economic strike in Israel, tomorrow, Monday, after deliberations during which it discussed taking this step, in response to the call of the Forum of Families of Prisoners and Hostages held in the Gaza Strip, to pressure Netanyahu’s government and push it to conclude a prisoner exchange deal with the factions movement.

Source: RT