Families of hostages, dozens of ambassadors, and senior diplomats attended a solidarity event in Tel Aviv held for the families of the hostages, marking one year since the October 7 attack on Sunday evening.
The rally was hosted by actor Lior Ashkenazi, who has been leading the demonstration for the release of the hostages in Tel Aviv almost every Saturday night. The opposition leader, Yair Lapid, also spoke at the event.
Orly Gilboa, mother of the kidnapped soldier Daniella Gilboa, spoke and said, “My beautiful, good, talented, and loving daughter has been held hostage for three hundred seventy-three days. Daniella celebrated her 20th birthday in the Gaza tunnels, and I ask you to remember how you were at that age.
“Look at me and think about how your mother would react if you didn’t come home or call when you were just late. Not only have we lived in complete darkness about where my daughter is for over a year—the only thing we do know is that she is in the hands of pure evil, under constant threat of weapons, and in constant danger of sexual abuse and torture.”
She continued, addressing the women still held hostage by Hamas, saying, “Of the one hundred and one hostages, there are 13 women still in Gaza, of whom we believe and hope that 10 are alive, and all we have left is to pray for their safety. Ten women who live in constant fear, suffering abuse, and are held in violation of international law. Neither the UN, the Red Cross, nor any of the many organizations for human rights and women's rights have managed to visit them, check their health condition, or simply provide us with basic information. None of them succeeded, and most didn’t even try. For a year, my little girl, just one and a half meters tall, has been held hostage by Hamas. I will not let her be forgotten; I will not rest until she returns to my arms.”
Families of hostages urge immediate action
At the end of her speech, Gilboa called on the international community to act: “I do not need your pity, I do not need your thoughts and prayers. I ask for your immediate action to save my Daniella and many others. After this event, or even at this moment, be active. Think about what immediate action you can take to promote the release of my Daniella and all the hostages. Do what you would do to save your own children and do the right thing.”
Simon Walters, the British Ambassador to Israel, spoke at the event, saying, “Tonight, we stand in solidarity with the families of the hostages as they face the terrible milestone of a year since October 7. We must not forget the hostages and their families, even amid the new fronts that have shifted global attention. We need urgent action. The current situation is unbearable. It’s time for a deal that allows for the safe return of the hostages, an end to the fighting, and the entry of more aid to Gaza, ensuring that Hamas does not grow stronger. We must bring them home now.”
Ilai David, the brother of Evitar, who is held hostage in Gaza, said, “I wake up every day without my brother, and that is the most painful reminder that he has been kidnapped. He has not been here for a long time. His friends are dying, and Evitar is in Gaza. They are still hungry, still at risk of being executed. I know Evitar will come home. Take our stories and pass them on because we don’t have much time left.”
Luis Har, the released hostage, expressed gratitude: “I thank the IDF soldiers and the State of Israel for freeing me and the State of Argentina for giving us an indescribably warm and loving hug, along with Uruguay. We were in Gaza just a few minutes from home, yet on the other hand, we were so far away. We could not lose hope, and we must not lose hope in bringing back all the hostages.”