Hostages’ family members and their supporters marked 500 days since the October 7 massacre on Monday at more than 500 locations throughout the country.
There were large protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, including at the Knesset, as freed hostages called for a completion of a deal to release the remaining hostages.
Seventy-three hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Last week, Hamas threatened to stop the releases, and talks on phase two of the deal were delayed.
Freed hostages have been shedding light on the horrid conditions they lived in during their captivity, as well as indications of life from other hostages.
Freed hostage Liri Albag said in an Instagram post on Monday: “500 days where the hostages have no one to ask for help, there is no one hearing their cries. They need one thing: To come home.” She called on the nation to keep fighting to return all those still held captive.
Released hostages speak out
Agam Berger, who was freed along with Albag, said Monday in a video on Instagram: “Despite all of our differences, let’s maintain unity and strength. Do one good thing to bring the hostages back.”
Doron Steinbrecher, who was released on January 19, said Monday: “Every second and every minute [of captivity] feels like eternity. I was lucky enough to be able to return home, but I won’t be able to start the healing process until the 73 other hostages are freed.” She called on the public to fast with her because “this is the least we can do for them.”
Levi Ben Baruch, the cousin of hostage Edan Alexander, recited the Shema Yisrael prayer and said: “This morning marks 500 days that our brothers, sisters, and children are in Hamas captivity. We will start our day with a cry to open up the gates of heaven for redemption. We will fast today for the hostages – they are effectively fasting themselves for 500 days already.”
Protesters marched from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum’s Balfour Street headquarters to the Knesset.
The family of freed hostage Ofer Kalderon, 54, who was released from Hamas captivity earlier this month, on Monday told the Knesset Health Committee he had lost 25 kilograms while in Gaza captivity.
“Ofer had a difficult week,” one of the family members said. “He started with a severe flu and a serious case of pneumonia to the extent that his children could not visit him. We thank Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer for the dedicated care, for immediately attending to him when he fell ill, and for taking care of him day and night. Fortunately, he has now returned to [a] stable medical condition.
“There was a scale in the tunnel where they were held, and the terrorists rationed food for him. Ofer said he ate rotten vegetables and sometimes was given half a pita with cheese. He had no vitamin D. They showered maybe once every two to three months.”
Kalderon had been subjected to “physical and mental abuse” during the first few weeks of captivity while being held “in a cage,” one of his relatives said.
Kalderon was released along with Keith Siegel and Yarden Bibas after 484 days in captivity.
Emily Hand, 10, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7 massacre and was released from Hamas captivity in the November 2023 hostage-ceasefire deal. On Monday, she said: “How is it possible to think of the future when the war is still ongoing, hostages still remain in Gaza, and some people will never return?”
Hand spoke at the Teacher’s Union convention in Tel Aviv to an artificial-intelligence chatbot that asked for help to imagine the future. She said she did not wish to speak about the past or how she misses her kibbutz, her friends, and those who are gone.
“I haven’t returned to my home yet… not everyone has come home safely… and some never will… and my dreams… they’re not always good… so how can we even think about tomorrow today?” Hand asked.
Demonstrating outside the Knesset, hostage families said every effort should be made to “get them out of hell.”
Uri Goren, the cousin of slain hostage Tal Haimi, said: “If someone would have told us that after 500 days we’d be here, I don’t think anyone would have believed it… The move to return the hostages now is brave, but it should have been done long ago. Nevertheless, this is a good start… We call on the government to finish what they started [and] go to phase two” so that all the hostages can be brought home.