Crowds gathered Saturday night at Hostages Square, as relatives of the hostages held in Gaza rallied for their return, under the banner, "Everyone. Together! Now is the moment."
The families and released hostages demanded a deal that would ensure the return of all hostages home - the living for rehabilitation, and the murdered for proper burial in their homeland.
Orna Neutra, the mother of the late Israeli-American citizen Omer Neutra, said: "For over a year, I prayed for a sign of life from you. None came. Yet, every day brought signs of hope and love—notes, flowers, meals, and prayers from around the world. We breathed life into your being, kept your name alive, and fought tirelessly for your return."
"You showed us what it means to bridge worlds. You followed your heart back to Israel, joined the IDF, and gave your all to the land and its people. You were a lone soldier but never lonely. Your friends speak of your light, your courage, and your ability to make everyone feel special."
She added, "For 14 months, we traveled the world, sharing your story and calling on leaders to save you. Now, we face the unthinkable. Your absence is a gaping hole in our lives. Omer, you gave so much in your 22 years—more than most give in a lifetime. Your memory will live on as a blessing. We will honor your light and the love you shared with the world."
"I promise you, Omer, to carry your torch forward. In your name, and in the spirit of the values you lived by—courage, love, and hope—I will continue to fight for your return and for the return of all the hostages. This struggle is far from over, and we will not rest until they are all home."
Sharon Aloni Cunio was released from Hamas captivity after 52 days, together with her daughters Yuli and Emma. Her husband David is still held captive. She said: "It's hard for me to stand here tonight. It's hard because my heart is still there. My beloved David is still there. Far from me, far from our daughters, far from the life we dream of trying to rebuild. Since I returned with our daughters, I hear the same words every day: 'Mom, when will Dad come back?' Sometimes they ask quietly, sometimes screaming, sometimes with tears that I have no answer for. How do you explain to four-year-old girls that their father is still there? That he's hungry, that he's terrified, that he's so far away and I have no way to bring him back? Especially when they know firsthand, up close, what it means to be held captive in Gaza."
"The moment they separated us in captivity was the hardest moment I've experienced in my life. David looked me in the eyes, and in his most frightened voice said to me: 'Sharon, don't give up on me, fight for me.' And I promised. I promised him then, and I promise him today.
"My David, if you can hear me, if somehow you can feel us – know that we are here. We won't give up. I won't give up. And I'm fighting for you. But I'm not here tonight just for David. I'm here for all the hostages and especially tonight for the young men. I'm here to shout something we all must understand: We must not aim for a partial deal - a deal that sentences those left behind to death. A partial deal is a hole in this nation's heart. A partial deal means we're willing to abandon David and all the men who will remain there.
"My Luli, know this – we are here. We'll keep shouting, we'll keep fighting, until you're with us again. We have no future if you're not here. Please, be strong as only you know how, even in this inhuman situation. We're waiting to hug you, to wrap you in our arms, and to heal together. You must come back to us."