Explainer: Why are Israelis on general strike and how did Netanyahu respond?

Thousands of Israelis blocked roads and downed tools on Monday, to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a truce with Hamas to see captives held in Gaza return home.

Hundreds of people in Haifa held up traffic by protesting at a busy intersection, while services were disrupted across the country as Israeli workers attempt to force the government to agree a Gaza truce deal, which follows the discovery of six captive bodies in Gaza.

Netanyahu has been accused of deliberately sabotaging truce deals with Hamas, which puts the lives of Israeli captives in Gaza in jeopardy, in order to keep his far-right coalition government together.

Few believe that the military's objective of defeating Hamas is realistic in the long-run and only a political settlement can end the war. 

What is the background to the strike?

On 7 October, Hamas led raids into southern Israel, seeing roughly 1,200 Israelis killed and around 250 taken captive, according to Israeli figures.

Israel's subsequent war on Gaza, supposedly to rescue the captives and ensure Hamas is unable to launch another such assault, has killed at least 40,786 Palestinians and utterly gutted the enclave.

Hostage deals with Hamas last year saw 154 captives released, nearly all of them women and children, while 35 of the remaining 101 held in Gaza have been declared dead, many of them killed in Israeli air strikes.

Israel meanwhile holds over 10,000 Palestinian captives, many of them children, who were rounded up without charge in the occupied West Bank since 7 October.

Ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel have been held via the US, Egypt and Qatar, but Netanyahu has been accused of not taking the issue seriously - or sabotaging it - by repeatedly u-turning on a deal.

There has been mounting pressure on Netanyahu, domestically, to agree a ceasefire with Hamas after more of the Israeli captives were confirmed dead, with these calls intensifying after six bodies were discovered in Gaza over the weekend.

Why are Israelis on strike?

Six captives, taken by Hamas on 7 October, were found dead in a Gaza tunnel by Israeli soldiers this weekend, reportedly executed by their captors.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari claimed the six captives were "brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them", with their bodies reportedly riddled with bullets, according to forensic reports.

There have been questions about this assessment, particularly as some of the captives previously confirmed dead in Gaza have reportedly been accidentally killed in Israeli airstrikes or ground assaults.

Confirmation of their deaths led to a huge outcry in Israel with labour union and opposition leaders calling for a general strike to demand an immediate ceasefire deal with Hamas, which is viewed as the only way of bringing the remaining hostages home safely.

The Hostages Families Forum, which has led the protests in Israel, announced plans on Sunday to "bring the nation to a halt", a call that has resonated with many Israelis.

One of Israel's main labour unions, Histadrut, also called for a nationwide strike to pressure the government into finalising a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

What has happened so far?

Protests began on Sunday and continued Monday, with activists blocking highways in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and other cities, while a general labour strike was launched on Monday.

The Israeli government has intervened to prevent the strike which it fears will bring the country to a standstill amid a crunch political time for the country, as the war on Gaza enters its 11th month.

Hospitals will operate on Shabat mode with medics told they can use their conscious about whether to join the strike or not.

Universities have joined the action while public transport has also largely ground to a standstill.

Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport was closed between 8am to 10am leading to disruptions throughout the day.

Some sections of the public and private sectors are also joining the strike, including the high-tech industries.

What has Netanyahu's government said?

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, via the attorney general, has launched a legal injunction to prevent the strike, which he has described as "political and illegal".

"We won’t allow harm to the Israeli economy and thereby serve the interests of [Yahya] Sinwar and Hamas," Smotrich said, referring to the new Hamas political leader.

Netanyahu has not publicly spoken on the issue but his far-right government has a history of clashing with the protest movement and even claiming that their civil action campaign is indirectly aiding Hamas.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has strongly opposed a ceasefire deal with Hamas and believes only a military victory against the group is acceptable.