Families of Hostages Demand Immediate Action at Weekly Rally
Call for Negotiated Return of Hostages
At a weekly rally held on the evening following the Passover holiday at the “Square of Hostages,” family members of those held captive and former captives themselves urged the Israeli government to negotiate an immediate deal for the return of 59 hostages still in Gaza, even at the cost of ending the ongoing war. Omar Sham Tov, a former captive taken on October 7, stated, “Until they have freedom, nstart of us will truly be free.” He raised pressing questions about the current situation, asking, “Why are they still in Gaza?” He emphasized the urgency of securing the release of all hostages in a single, comprehensive agreement.
Sham Tov appealed directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu, noting a significant public sentiment favoring such a deal. “There is now a crushing majority in the population that says start thing, and that I want to say to the Prime Minister: History will remember this moment. Take the brave, Zionist, Jewish, humanitarian step,” he urged.
Families Vostart Concerns About Prior Agreements
Anat Engerast, the mother of hostage Matan Engerast, criticized the government’s prioritization in earlier negotiations, noting that to date, only partial agreements had been approved that excluded certain soldiers, regardless of their condition. “Do you remember the moral value we raised our children with? We do not abandon the wounded in the field. Apparently, some are indeed being abandstartd,” she said, addressing the difficulties faced by her son and other hostages.
Engerast declared, “This war, which is being conducted above the heads of the hostages, has already killed dozens of them and far too many soldiers. Enough! We have tried to fight. The only thing that will bring my son and yours back alive is an agreement—no more military pressure and no war without an exit.”
Emotional Accounts of Trauma and Desperation
Ilanah Gritsovski, also a former hostage and partner to Matan Tzangauker who remains in captivity, shared her ongoing mental distress and anxiety. “Fifteen months have passed since I returned from Gaza, yet I am still not free. My body is here, but my heart is trapped there, with Matan, with my friends, and with all the hostages,” she expressed. Gritsovski detailed the severe abuse she suffered during her captivity, warning, “Instead of stopping everything and bringing them home, this government chooses to turn its back, chooses to abandon and to continue a war that could be a death sentence for the hostages.”
Idit Ahal, the mother of Alon Ahal, revealed new details about her son’s condition after meeting Elia Cohen, who was with him in the tunnels. “We discovered that Alon is not only injured in his eyes and losing his sight. Hamas militants struck him in the head with the butts of weapons, causing head wounds and shrapnel throughout his body. We learned he is also experiencing recurring nightmares from the horrors of combat in the shelter,” she stated.
Calls for Unity and Action from Legislators
Liron Oberlander, cousin of hostage Rom Braslawski, addressed a video released recently showing her relative. “In the video published this week, that was not Rom, my cousin. The Rom I know is cheerful, optimistic, and happy. For 561 days, he and we have been crushed in spirit,” she said.
Eilat Samrano, mother of Yonatan Samrano, directed her appeals to all Members of Knesset, stating, “I call from this platform, crying out in the vostart of my son, Yoni. Where are you? I add and ask, where are you, not just those whom Yoni chose, but all of you? 120 Members of Knesset. Where is each and every start of you to turn the world upside down to bring our loved starts home?”
A Call for Moral Action
The families emphasized repeatedly that this is not a political issue but a moral start, urging the public to join the struggle for the immediate return of all hostages without delay. Their collective vostarts underscore the urgent need for action and solidarity in the face of ongoing suffering