US President Joe Biden says he is close to presenting a final proposal for a deal to release hostages held by Hamas in Gaza but he does not think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing enough to secure such an agreement.

Biden was speaking to reporters at the White House after Israeli forces over the weekend recovered the bodies of six hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old US-Israeli, from a tunnel in Gaza where it said they were recently killed by Palestinian Hamas militants.

That has sparked criticism of the US administration’s Gaza ceasefire strategy and ratcheted up pressure on Netanyahu from Israelis to bring the remaining hostages home.

Asked whether he thought Netanyahu was doing enough to secure a hostage deal, Biden said “No”.

He did not elaborate.

Asked if he was planning to present a final hostage deal to both sides this week, Biden said: “We’re very close to that.”

“Hope springs eternal,” he added when asked whether a deal would be successful.

Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were due on Monday to meet with the US hostage deal negotiating team to discuss efforts toward an agreement for the release of the remaining captives.

Responding to Biden’s comments, senior Israeli sources said it was “remarkable” that Biden was pressuring Netanyahu over a hostage deal rather than Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

They said Biden’s statement that Netanyahu was not doing enough was also dangerous because it came days after Hamas executed six hostages.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said Biden’s criticism of Netanyahu was “American recognition that Netanyahu was responsible for undermining efforts to reach a deal”.

He said the group would respond positively to a proposal that could secure a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave.

Netanyahu, who has accused Hamas of obstructing any agreement, said at the weekend that “whoever murders hostages does not want a deal”.

Israeli protesters took to the streets for a second day on Monday and the largest trade union launched a general strike to press the government to reach a deal to return hostages still held by Hamas.

The strike disrupted transport and medical services across Israel and many shops and businesses were closed after the head of the Histadrut union, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers, called a 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 Netanyahu reach a ceasefire agreement with Palestinian militant group Hamas to bring the remaining 101 hostages home.

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

Professor Yehuda Ullmann, head of the surgery division at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, said Monday’s strike action went against the grain of doctors dedicated to saving patients.

“But we are in a very, very hard situation now, we and all the country, because of the hostages. And yesterday it was maybe the hardest day,” he said.

“We can’t stand aside and that’s why we came into a strike.”

Following an intervention by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Labour Court ruled the general strike must end at 2.30pm, saying the strike had no economic basis and was largely political.

Israelis strike

A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza has led to closures and other disruptions across the country, including at its main international airport.

However, it was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets late on Sunday in grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza.

The families and much of the public blamed Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the nearly 11-month-old war.

But others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining military pressure on Hamas, whose October 7 attack into Israel triggered the war.

They say it will eventually force the militants to give in to Israeli demands, potentially facilitate rescue operations and ultimately annihilate the group.

A labour court ruled the strike must end by 2.30pm on Monday (local time), accepting the government’s argument that it was politically motivated.

Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, had called for the general strike, which aimed to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking, health care and the country’s main airport.

Airlines at Israel’s main international airport, Ben-Gurion, halted outgoing flights between 8-10am. Arriving flights continued as usual, according to the Israel Airports Authority.

The Histadrut said banks, some large shopping centres and government offices joined the strike, as did some public transit services, although there did not appear to be any major disruptions.

Municipalities in Israel’s populated central area, including Tel Aviv, took part in the strike, leading to shortened school hours.

Many municipalities, however, including Jerusalem, did not take part.

The demonstrations on Sunday appeared to be the largest since the start of the war. Organisers estimated up to 500,000 people joined nationwide events and the main rally in Tel Aviv.

Israeli media put the numbers at 200,000-400,000 .

Protesters demanded Netanyahu reach a deal to return the remaining roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, even if it means leaving a battered Hamas intact and withdrawing from the territory.

Many Israelis support this position, but others prioritise the destruction of the militant group over freedom for the hostages.

Netanyahu has pledged “total victory” over Hamas and blames it for the failure of the negotiations.

The Israeli health ministry said autopsies had determined the hostages were shot at close range and died on Thursday or Friday.

Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying “whoever murders hostages doesn’t want a deal”.

Hamas blamed their deaths on Israel and the US, accusing them of dragging out the talks by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over two strategic corridors in Gaza.

Hamas has offered to release the hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants.

Some 250 hostages were taken on October 7.

More than 100 were freed during a ceasefire in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Eight have been rescued by Israeli forces.