President of Israel Isaac Herzog on Sunday marked nine months since the October 7th massacre and the outbreak of the war and said that the state must bring back the hostages.
"Nine months since the great tragedy that befell us on October 7th. Nine months since the barbaric attack during which infants, women, men, and elderly were brutally murdered, raped, tortured, and abducted. Our hearts are with the bereaved families, with the physically and mentally injured and their families, and with the hostages who are being held in captivity in Gaza and the families who have been working for months to bring their loved ones home," Herzog wrote.
He added: "Our obligation to bring back the hostages is absolute and supreme.
"We do not forget them for a moment. The people of Israel do not forget them for a moment. In every home and family, in every synagogue, in every community, in every event public and private - we hear from everywhere the concern for the hostages, the prayer and outcry for their speedy return."
In conclusion, the President wrote: "The entire nation wants their return, and the decisive majority supports a hostage deal. The state's obligation to bring them back is at the heart of the consensus."