The central assembly of the headquarters of the families of the abductees was held this evening (Saturday) at the Culture Square in Tel Aviv, in the midst of news in the media about possible progress in the negotiations on a new deal for the abductees following the “2nd Paris Summit”.
Earlier, a senior political official was quoted as saying that “We Still far from a deal, but Hamas dropped some of its demands.’
Gal, the friend of Noa Argamani, who was abducted in Gaza, said: “The citizens of Israel refuse to normalize the situation in which our brothers and sisters are kidnapped in Gaza. They are dying slowly while life in the country continues. We must not continue our routine without returning them home.” Gal added: “Noa, who hugs you when you’re cold and who tells you that you’re allowed to cry under the covers. What do you dream about? About the day after? About now? It will soon be over, believe me. And who tells you, ‘It’s okay, it’s the world that’s going crazy?’ ‘”.
Nadav Segal, the uncle of Eliakim Liebman, who was abducted to Gaza from the party in Ra’i, said: “Every time this nation was divided, we were severely beaten and if Eliakim was here, he would say that only together we will win.”
Shahar Levy, the son of Eitan Levy, whose body is still being held by Hamas in Gaza, spoke at the rally: “Today is harder for me than ever. Because today he had to celebrate his 54th birthday. I am here, despite the difficulty, to be near my new family – The abductees. We say that we believe in the representatives of Israel in Paris. Turn over every stone and do not let go until you reach a deal that includes everyone. Also the murdered people.
Prof. Itai Pesach, director of the Safra Children’s Hospital who treated abductees and abductees who returned from captivity: “I stand before you today as a representative of all those who cared for abductees, children, boys and girls, women and men, young men and adults who returned from Hamas captivity. We were speechless excited, me and the staff members who were with me, at Safra Children’s Hospital and Sheba and the other hospitals to welcome those who returned. Together with the family, we were the first to meet them, to cry tears of happiness and relief, but also the first to understand and see the severe damage and vulnerability they experienced. We immediately realized that even though from the outside in front of the cameras they looked strong the damage to them was severe and the damage was great. The injuries and scars caused by the abduction when their bodies were only in pajamas, dragged barefoot on the gravel in the fields, beaten, humiliated, pelted with stones and sticks by the crowd and trying to protect the children with them. These injuries are still evident. It is doubtful if they will ever recover.”
Eyal Eshel, the father of the late Roni Eshel, who was murdered on October 7 at the military base where she served, said: “So many people are not here. Just their pictures. The heart contracts with pain… beyond the terrible disaster of that black Sabbath that happened to all of us, the new revelations that are revealed almost every day are no less shocking. I’m ashamed. Everything I grew up on blew up in my face. I broke down when my Ronnie, my firstborn, was brutally murdered in a vile way, but I broke down when I realized that they didn’t bother to give the girls weapons, that there was no way to escape – the shocking realization is that they were nobody’s soldiers.”
“If the soldiers who fled the HML had taken the female soldiers with them, everything would have looked different. The values of the IDF were erased that day. The entire team of female soldiers of Nahal Oz was also erased that day. This is one of the most difficult events in the history of the IDF and it must be investigated impartially.”
Major General (Res.) Amiram Levin: “We do not leave wounded, captives and abductees in the hands of the enemy. The State of Israel was founded on this moral order and the Jewish people have kept it throughout the years. Without it we have no right to exist here. The dilemma between victory over Hamas and the moral victory of returning abductees It does not exist at all. Hamas, as well as Hezbollah, did not come to defeat the IDF, but to disintegrate our society and challenge our very existence – therefore, the only victory is the return of the abductees. We will still need a strong army and soldiers who will sacrifice themselves, but without the abductees it simply won’t happen.”
The American actor Michael Rapaport came to the rally and spoke: “I was here in December and I didn’t believe that I would be here again after 70 days… I understand how hard it is for you, how much you are trying to bring your family members home. You did everything, you met everyone, even the Pope . It makes me sick that you have to beg the people who can bring them back and who abandoned you. Everyone should be ashamed. You deserve better than this… I know it’s not much, but I want to support you, touch you, listen to you, and tell you that there are many people who support you And we love you. We are praying for you. I call for everyone to be released. Now!”
