they were alive. after nearly 11 months, they were ALIVE. a deal could have saved them. a deal that has been on the table for MONTHS. the cruelty is unbearable. the cruelty of Hamas, who murdered them in cold blood, and the cruelty of Netanyahu's government, who left them to die.

Sinwar, Netanyahu, Biden, the lot of them. All these "leaders" have, in the context of October 7 and the butcheries since, led their peoples into an inferno. In the furnace are incinerated our morals, strategic interests, dreams of dignity and loved ones. They've all failed.

🚨🚨🚨🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL: ISRAEL GOES ON GENERAL STRIKE FOR A HOSTAGE DEAL, FROM TOMORROW. I was holding back despite the unprecedented sequence of events in the last 48 hours, but this, I think, is it. Either there's a ceasefire by week's end or the government falls, or both.

A general strike has been confirmed. The head of the Labor union has said the government is preventing a ceasefire deal due to political considerations. The airport will shut down, schools, businesses, local authorities and more. End the war. Save the hostages. Enough.

💥More than 100,000 people at Tel Aviv protest, per ynet עדכוני (Lior Segev)

💥As of 15 minutes ago, Crowd Solutions estimates that 𝟐𝟖𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 protesters are on the street just in Tel Aviv. (Yadin Giladi)

🚨NEW: Netanyahu says he will keep insisting on Philadelphi route despite losing the hostages. Lest you think this is a professional/strategic position, he is in a minority of ONE against THE ENTIRE top brass of the IDF and his own defense minister. Strong Mubarak vibes.

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2.85% of Israel's population on the street. This is like 1,900,000 Brits marching. Or roughly 4x Manchesters.

A terrific scoop. Biden Administration may present a take it or leave it proposal to Israel/Hamas. High probability both sides will say "yes but." And then what? More negotiations. Biden's in a negotiator's cul-de-sac with no quick/easy way out -- played by Sinwar and Netanyahu.

Sadly looks like this strike will run out of steam before it makes a difference. The rotten government will weather the storm, the war on Gaza will continue and the hostages will be left to die. Tragic that two peoples are held hostage by one man’s narcissism.

It's not the most important thing or even the 2nd or 3rd, but today's events in Israel remind us: You cannot have a civilized society without organized labor. It's up there with universal health care, independent public broadcasting, state schools, and efficient mass transit.

💥LIVE as thousands line the streets of Jerusalem ahead of Hersh Goldberg-Polin's funeral procession.

💥#Breaking: Foreign Secretary David Lammy announces that the UK is withdrawing about 30 (of 350) arms exports licenses to Israel out of concern over gross violations of international law.

Peter Lerner, former IDF chief international spokesman, sums up Netanyahu's press conference tonight: "He has sealed the fate of our hostages".

💥Israel Police, water cannon at the ready, have just declared the Jerusalem demo "illegal" and threaten to use skunk water. (Shagiv Shipman)

Of course, the West Bank does not exist on Netanyahu's map. And Gaza is the forever Israeli enclave. This speech will go down in history as Netanyahu's open admission to that world that Israel will remain between the river and the sea indefinitely, as long as he rules.

Today the UK government announced that it is suspending approximately 30 arms export licenses to Israel, in cases where the government found a “clear risk” that these arms may be used in serious violation of humanitarian law. Our full statement below. yachad.org.uk/statement-uk-a…

Netanyahu has reiterated his opposition to withdrawing from the #Philadelphi_Corridor, which makes a hostage/ceasefire deal very unlikely (unless Sinwar capitulates). Here's a thread explaining why this is such a sticking point in the hostage/ceasefire talks & the Israeli debate:

With a chest-thumping, bombastic speech, Netanyahu ends hope for a hostage deal / Yossi Verter haaretz.com/israel-news/20…