TELAVIV: Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has voiced support for a nationwide strike on Sunday in solidarity with hostages still held by Palestinian militants in Gaza. In a post on X, Lapid urged citizens, including government supporters, to participate, emphasizing that the strike is not political but a moral call to action.
“Strike out of solidarity. Strike because the families have asked, and that’s reason enough,” Lapid wrote. Sunday marks the first working day of the Israeli week, making the call particularly symbolic.
The initiative follows a joint appeal by about 20 parents of hostages and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which also supports the strike. Though the main trade union federation, Histadrut, declined to lead the strike, it endorsed solidarity demonstrations by workers.
The Forum urged citizens to act according to conscience and accused the government of prolonging an “aimless war” at the cost of hostages’ lives. “675 days of captivity and war must end,” it declared.
Last week, Israel’s security cabinet approved further military operations in Gaza’s remaining uncontrolled zones, raising concerns over the safety of the 49 hostages still in captivity. The Israeli military has confirmed that 27 of them are likely dead.
The Gaza war erupted after Hamas's October 2023 attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel launched a major offensive that has killed at least 61,499 people in Gaza, according to the local health ministry, figures considered reliable by the UN.
