Israel rocked by protests; strikes kill dozens in Gaza

Israeli forces killed at least 48 Palestinians in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip as they battled Hamas-led militants, Palestinian officials said yesterday, while medics conducted a second day of polio vaccinations for children in the enclave.

Palestinian and UN officials said more than 80,000 children had been vaccinated in central areas of Gaza on Sunday, the first day of the campaign.

• Israel hit by general strike amid grief over dead hostages
• Biden says Netanyahu not doing enough to secure hostage deal
• UK says it is suspending 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel

Hamas and Israel have agreed to brief pauses in fighting to allow the campaign to vaccinate some 640,000 children to go ahead. No violations have been reported near vaccination facilities.

Meanwhile, Israeli protesters took to the streets for a second day yesterday and the largest trade union launched a general strike to press the government to reach a deal to return hostages still held by Hamas, after six more captives were found dead in Gaza.

The strike disrupted transport and medical services in several Israeli districts and many shops and businesses were closed after the head of the Histadrut union, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers, called a national stoppage.

The recovery at the weekend of the six hostages, who authorities said were shot dead between just 48-72 hours before being found by Israeli forces, triggered a wave of grief and fury in Israel, prompting at least half a million people to take to the streets in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Sunday.

The demonstrators are demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas to bring the remaining 101 hostages home.

Yesterday, thousands again gathered in Tel Aviv, waving blue and white Israeli flags or carrying photographs of hostages.

A man and a young child react during clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters in Jenin. Amid heavy clashes in Jenin, Israeli bulldozers yesterday caused damage to roads and infrastructure including water systems, according to Palestinian officials in the northern West Bank. Photo: AFP

In Washington, US President Joe Biden said he was close to presenting a final proposal for a deal to release the hostages but said he did not think Netanyahu was doing enough to secure such an agreement.

Meanwhile, Britain will immediately suspend 30 of its 350 arms export licenses with Israel because there is a risk such equipment might be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law, foreign minister David Lammy said yesterday.

Soon after the Labour Party won an election in July, Lammy said he would update a review on arms sales to British ally Israel to ensure these complied with international law.

Seven Palestinians were killed in two Israeli air strikes on Gaza City, Palestinian officials said on Monday, while two air strikes killed six others in Bureij and Nuseirat, two of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said fighters had confronted Israeli forces in north, south and in some central areas of Gaza with anti-tank rockets and mortar fire.

UNRWA, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, repeated its call yesterday for an immediate ceasefire to help ensure a successful and safe polio vaccination campaign.

“On 1st day only, @UNRWA teams & partners reached around 87,000 children according to @WHO. Efforts are ongoing to provide children with this key vaccine, but what they need most is a #CeasefireNow,” it said on the X social media platform.

Polio myelitis is a highly infectious virus that can cause paralysis and death in infants, with under-2s most at risk.

The WHO confirmed last month that a baby was partially paralysed by the type 2 polio virus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years.

Palestinians say a key reason for the return of polio is the collapse of the health system and the destruction of most Gaza hospitals. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, which the Islamist group denies.

Since October 7 last year, Israeli offensive has killed an estimated 40,786 Palestinians. More than 94,000 Palestinians were also injured, the enclave’s health ministry said yesterday.