Families of hostages and fallen soldiers in Israel are calling for a general strike to protest the government's plan to escalate the war and take control of Gaza City. They aim to mobilize private companies, organizations, trade unions, and citizens to join the strike, emphasizing their message with the slogan: 'Silence kills -- the country grinds to a halt to save the hostages and the soldiers.' The initiative will be formally announced at a press conference in Tel Aviv. Despite growing support from relatives and activists, the main national labor union has stated it will not back the strike, citing legal restrictions on political labor actions. The union's leader is expected to meet with family representatives soon, but a union-backed strike remains unlikely.