Following the return of the late Yosef al-Ziyadne, who was taken hostage alive, and amid deep concern for his son Hamzah who remains in captivity, family representatives of hostages who were murdered in Hamas captivity and whose bodies have been returned held an emergency statement today at Hostages Square. Since October 7, 29 people who were taken alive have been murdered in captivity and their bodies returned.
The families called on the Israeli government, "Don't Miss This Chance Too - Make an Immediate Deal and Bring Everyone Home!"
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin, said, "We, all of us standing here, are the members of a cohort of loss and bereavement. We don't want any more people to join our community of agony and pain. And yet tragically, just yesterday, the AlZayadni family joined us. We implore all world leaders to make a deal and bring all 99 remaining hostages home. They represent 23 different nations. They are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. I will end by asking all of our leaders the first question posed by God in the Bible in Genesis to man: 'Where are you?'. Bring them home now."
Alon Gat, brother of the late Carmel Gat and son of the late Kinneret Gat, said, "What happens when there's no deal - at least 29 souls, 29 human beings, each one an entire world, were murdered and killed in captivity, even though they could have been saved. I have already lost my sister Carmel. The missed opportunity to save her in time is something I'll carry with me for life. Save and bring back our brothers and sisters now."
Jon Polin, father of the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin, said, "At least four of the 'Beautiful Six' were on the list in that missed deal, including our Hersh who was wounded. 29 hostages who were taken alive 15 months ago were killed in captivity. That's too many. These are 29 precious souls that will be no more. Those in captivity have no time, neither the living nor the dead. We must make an immediate deal to bring home all our brothers and sisters - the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial. We must not miss this historic opportunity."
Carmit Palty Katzir, sister of the late Elad Katzir and daughter of the late Hannah: "Yosef should have returned to his children and family. Instead, we received them in black bags. I know from my own flesh, from my family's flesh, that only an agreement will bring back the remaining hostages. Such an agreement brought back my mother in November '23, and every day she spent in captivity resulted in severe damage to her health. But she returned to us alive, and at least we could say goodbye. We are here today to warn and ensure that our terrible story doesn't happen to other families."
Rabbi Elhanan Danino, father of the late Ori Danino: "My son Ori was one of six hostages who survived 328 days and nights. My son didn't return home alive - he and 28 other hostages could have returned alive to their lives, and now these families are withering away. Young siblings, entire families destroyed. What are you waiting for? For thousands more to wither away here?"