Closing summary
The US president, Joe Biden, said that a “final” deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza was “very close” but that he did not think the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was doing enough to secure such an agreement. Netanyahu, in a press conference, said he did not believe that Biden made those comments.
Netanyahu, in a news conference, insisted that Israeli forces must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border, which has emerged as a primary sticking point in Gaza ceasefire talks.
Protests against the Israeli leader’s government suffered a blow when a court ordered an early end to a general strike. Israel’s biggest trade union, Histadrut, said hundreds of thousands of people joined its strike. Israel’s labour court ruled that the strike, which affected many businesses, schools and transport routes, had to end at 14:30 local time (12:30 BST). It was due to finish at 18:00 local time (16:00 BST).
The demonstrations were prompted by the discovery of the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, and brought tens of thousands of Israelis out on to the streets to protest against the government’s handling of the war in Gaza and efforts to release dozens of hostages who remain in captivity.
Ben Gurion international airport near Tel Aviv saw some flights delayed, and none at all for two hours leading up to 10am. Tel Aviv and the northern coastal city of Haifa heeded the strike calls, but not all municipalities slowed down or ceased their activities.
Further protests took place outside Netanyahu’s residences in Jerusalem and Caesarea.
At least 40,786 Palestinian people have been killed and 94,224 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement. The toll included 48 deaths in the previous 24 hours.
The UK moved to immediately suspend 30 arms export licences to Israel after a review by the new Labour government found a “clear risk” that UK arms may be used in serious violation of humanitarian law relating to the treatment of Palestinian detainees and the supply of aid to Gaza.
Gaza health officials said an Israeli airstrike targeting a group of police officers in a school sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least 11 people on Sunday.
We are closing this blog now, but you can stay up to date on the Guardian’s Middle East coverage here.
Benjamin Netanyahu is asked whether he accepts “personal responsibility” for the deaths of the six hostages whose bodies were recovered in Gaza at the weekend.
“I feel profound sorrow, I truly regret the fact that we didn’t bring them [back],” the Israeli prime minister said. He added:
He denied that the hostages were killed because of Israel’s insistence on keeping control over the strategic corridor.
It happened because Hamas doesn’t want a deal.
