Families of Israelis held hostage in Gaza have called for a nationwide general strike next Sunday, in protest at the government’s decision to expand the war and take control of Gaza City.
The move follows Friday’s security cabinet vote to press ahead with a ground offensive into the city, a decision relatives say could endanger the roughly 50 hostages still held by Hamas, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
“We are shutting down the country to save the soldiers and the hostages,” organisers told a rally in Tel Aviv, joined by the October 7 Council, which represents bereaved families of soldiers killed in the early days of the conflict.
The strike is set to begin as a grassroots effort, with private companies and individual citizens pledging to halt work for the day. Within hours of the announcement, organisers claimed “hundreds” of businesses and “thousands” of people had committed to participate.
Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, has yet to endorse the action. Families are due to meet its chairman, Arnon Bar-David, on Monday in an attempt to win backing. The union staged a similar walkout last year following the killing of six hostages by Hamas, disrupting transport, banking and healthcare before being ordered back to work by a labour court.
Anat Angrest, whose son Matan is among those held in Gaza, urged business leaders to act. “Your silence is killing our children,” she said. “You have the power.”
Opposition politicians, including Yair Lapid and Democrats party leader Yair Golan, have endorsed the strike call, urging citizens to “resist and disrupt”.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the military escalation on Sunday, insisting it was “the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily”.
