Agam Goldstein Almog, a survivor of Hamas captivity, made an emotional appeal for the release of those still held by Hamas, on Monday at a screening of the film Screams before Silence, created by Sheryl Sandberg.
Goldstein Almog was kidnapped on October 7 from Kibbutz Kfar Aza with her mother and two younger brothers. Her father and older sister were murdered during the assault. She and her family were held in Hamas tunnels for 51 days before their release in a prisoner exchange.
Reflecting on her captivity, Goldstein Almog recounted at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, “We looked into each other's eyes, and you asked me: 'Tell everything so [Hamas] doesn't touch us again.' I can't stand missing a [hostage] deal.” She detailed the conditions, including threats of sexual violence and the constant fear of death from either their captors or Israeli air raids.
During her speech, she expressed gratitude to the audience for their support during what she described as the hardest period of her life. “Thank you for being here. You are the people I remember when I feel alone in this wait that sucks our blood, in all the frustration. You are with me, strengthening, embracing, looking, and fighting,” she said.
Goldstein Almog also highlighted the importance of the film Screams before Silence as a documentation of Hamas's sexual crimes and the reality faced by women in captivity. “This film is about reality, a reality where women were raped, tortured, and slaughtered. This film is about a reality where women in captivity are sexually assaulted. The film is about assaults on women, after which only silence remains,” she emphasized.
Despite the trauma, she remains hopeful and committed to the fight for the return of the remaining captives. “We can make another film, another film where the reality is that all the women there come back to us. Hurt and in pain, but brave and determined to heal and fight. A film where all the abductees return,” she declared.
Goldstein Almog's call to action was both a plea for continued support and a message of hope. “Don’t despair, lift your head, there is still much to save. How hard it is not to speak, how hard it is not to scream when you speak there in whispers. How hard it is to fight and do everything and stay stuck in the same tunnel. And how good it feels to hear that people are gathering because they are for your release, because they want to bring you home,” she concluded.
Urging action from Israeli leadership
Earlier on Monday, the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters hosted an emotionally charged event, highlighting the ongoing plight of hostages and urging immediate action from Israel's leadership. The event featured a screening of Sheryl Sandberg's documentary and included speeches from the mothers of hostages Liri Albag and Naama Levy, along with pre-recorded messages from Michal Herzog, the First Lady of Israel.
Shira Albag, mother of Liri Albag, delivered a poignant address, expressing her anguish and calling for decisive action: “My little girl is still sitting alone in the dark tunnels, still crying for help, calling out to me, 'Mom, where are you?', 'Mom, I can't take it anymore', 'Mom, save me!'. We all constantly think about the worst possibilities. I wonder - when you sleep, is he watching you? When you shower, is the door closed? Is he touching you? So many thoughts that give me no rest. So many thoughts that are your reality. But I want you to know that you're not alone. Hold on to those small slivers of hope at night. Believe that your freedom is closer than ever.”
Herzog, First Lady of Israel, shared a heartfelt message, condemning the ongoing violence and urging collective action: “The barbarism that was unleashed on October 7th is not just about October 7th and not even just about our women. The fact is that this weaponizing of women's bodies, this weaponizing of sexual assault and rape in warfare on October 7th and every day since has taken all of humanity backward. Here today, as women, as mothers, and as human beings, we raise our voices—pained and broken but fierce—and we state we will not give up, not on our women and not on our humanity. I send my warmest embrace to the hostage families, as this event today powerfully shows you are not alone. I join every one of you in calling upon every person of good conscience to speak out for the hostages still being held by terrorists, to speak out for civilization, and to bring our hostages home.”
Sheryl Sandberg, the documentary's creator, echoed the urgent call for the hostages' release: “For nine agonizing months, 120 hostages have suffered unimaginable hardships in captivity. Their families are tormented by fears about their loved ones' conditions. A solution is within our grasp. I urgently call for the immediate release of all hundred and twenty hostages through a negotiated deal. By gathering to watch this documentary, you are helping to make sure the victims and survivors of October 7th are heard. No matter what anyone's political views, all of us should be able to come together to condemn the sexual violence of October 7th and support efforts to bring the hostages home safely. This documentary enables everyone to hear directly from first responders, experts, and released hostages. It gives all of us the opportunity to bear witness as we hear the stories from women who are not here to speak for themselves. We become their voice. We show the world what we are up against. We vow this will never happen again, and we scream after their silence.”