The general strike in Israel paralyzed life, which was announced yesterday with the joining of the Histadrut labor unions after the killing of 6 Israeli prisoners in a tunnel in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Major companies, markets and shops closed their doors to the Israeli public.

The Doctors Syndicate also joined the strike last night, stressing that hospitals will only be open for emergency cases.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office threatened last night that it would hold accountable and punish any employee who commits to the strike, after calls to include government ministries.

Meanwhile, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to deduct the financial compensation for one day of work for anyone participating in the strike.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis protested last night in Tel Aviv and other areas against the failure to push for a prisoner exchange deal that would return the rest of them.

The Israeli police arrested more than 29 demonstrators during those demonstrations.