Hamas captivity survivor Omer Shem Tov, released from captivity in Gaza three weeks ago, spoke for the first time to the crowd at a Hostages Square rally in Tel Aviv.
In a televised message, Shem Tov said, "There are many people there now who are left alone, okay? I was alone for 450 days, it's a horrible feeling. You have terrible thoughts, every day feels like eternity."
"It's so hard for me to think about what they're going through right now because I know that feeling, I know what they're going through. We felt that... that our soul is simply being killed, is simply being murdered. Like, it's... it's a terrible feeling and it... it has to stop, it has to stop as soon as possible."
He added, "If I'm here and I now have the opportunity, I'd like to appeal to the government to continue, just continue. This... it cannot be, these drips, this torture, and this, you probably don't, I don't know if you understand this, or... I don't know, but you're breaking them, they're simply breaking them, it's...
"You simply reach a state where you eat a crumb a day. Like you eat nothing a day, yes? It's... very difficult, very, very difficult.
"Everyone wants to defeat this enemy, this terrible enemy, right? But there are priorities, and the hostages need to be put before everything. When the IDF is in the area, it has a big impact. The IDF is doing holy work. I think the IDF is doing amazing work, yes? Every soldier is a hero. But military pressure also makes it very difficult.
"When I was up there, there were explosions, terrible ones, yes? But... When I went down below (to the tunnel), there were also many explosions, these kinds of earthquakes. I heard the tanks passing above me. I heard the soldiers, and they (the terrorists) already had weapons drawn, like, they had weapons in hand, just waiting for the moment they would come."
He recalled, "Standing next to me, you know, and I'm sitting there on this mattress, yes? And praying to God. Just praying to God. Like, it's a situation where you tell yourself, well, this is out of my hands, there's nothing I can do right now, so you sit and pray, and you simply hope for the best."
"So it's time for the Israeli government to take matters into its hands and make a decision that at one time simply bringing everyone home. And not in drips and not in deals of 50 days, no. It's time to bring everyone home in one go.
"Am Yisrael Chai and... I simply love you all so much, I love you all so, so much. I returned because of you, but the mission is still not complete. I will do everything so that all the hostages return home as soon as possible, let's fight for this together. Am Yisrael Chai. We are united and strong!"