Posted on 08/10/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
In a press conference in front of the Kirya in Tel Aviv, families of hostages and families of those killed on October 7th announced a nationwide strike on Sunday, August 17th, in protest of the Cabinet’s decision to conquer the Gaza Strip.
The families clarified that the shutdown will take place "from the ground up" through private companies, organizations, labor unions, and private citizens who will take the day off and halt the economy’s activities for one day.
Anat Angrest, the mother of Matan, who was kidnapped to Gaza, said during the press conference where the move was announced: "I beg you, dear citizens, do not be silent anymore. I know that the heart we share hurts, but it's not enough, silence kills. That’s why I’m here today to ask for what I’ve avoided until now, to ask the leaders of the economy, you have the power. Your silence is killing our children."
Reut Recht-Edri, the mother of Ido, who was murdered at the Nova music festival, added, "18 mothers of living hostages don’t want to pay the same price I’ve already paid. 30 mothers want a grave, like I have, one that you can visit and cry at. Until now, strikes have been held in Israel over money, conditions, and raises — it's time for a strike by the citizens of Israel for the immediate rescue of our brothers' lives, our soldiers’ lives."
Lishi Miran-Lavi, the wife of Omri, who was kidnapped to Gaza, explained the move. "Today, we chose to stand here together to call on the citizens of Israel to stop the madness. To prevent the next disaster. We call on companies and businesses, large unions, organizations, and citizens — we must stop. I send a big hug to the soldiers of the IDF and their families. We love you, and we are here for you — so no more soldiers are killed, so we don’t pay any more terrible prices. Now is the time to stop everything, to save our hostages and soldiers."
Eil Eshkol, the father of Roni, who fell in a battle at the Nahal Oz outpost, emphasized, "On October 7th, my Roni and her friends stood before the enemy until the last bullet. She will never come back. But Omri, the beloved of Lishi, who stands beside me, can still return. We, the bereaved families of the October Council, will not agree to let more families join the circle of mourning. It's time to stop talking. It’s time to act. Next Sunday, we stop everything."
Vicki Cohen, the mother of Nimrod, a soldier who was kidnapped to Gaza, noted, "The Chief of Staff’s words to the ministers are clear. His request to remove the goal of returning the hostages from the goal of capturing Gaza sends a clear and sharp message — the Israeli government is clearly and decisively giving up on my Nimrod and all the hostages. This is not a personal struggle for us, the hostage families. This is a struggle for all the citizens of Israel. From here, I call on everyone to shut down the country together exactly one week from today. We will all shut down the country to bring back the hostages, to prevent more soldiers from dying, to begin the reconstruction of the State of Israel."
Tzvi Zussman, the father of Sergeant Major (res.) Ben, who fell in a battle in the northern Gaza Strip, concluded, "We all want to prevent more families from receiving that terrible knock on the door, the knock that announces with deep sorrow that the State of Israel is informing you of your son's death. The day of the shutdown and the actions that follow will return hope to all of us. To do this, prices must be paid. And it will all start with the shutdown next week."