This morning (Sunday), an art exhibition by survivors of Hamas captivity was launched at Ben Gurion Airport. As part of the project, Hamas captivity survivors participated in unique workshops where they expressed their feelings and experiences during their time in Hamas captivity. During these workshops, held ahead of Israel's Independence Day, the survivors expressed the personal meaning they attribute to the concept of "independence."
The exhibition displays artwork by Hamas captivity survivors Raz Ben Ami, Meirav Tal, Ilana Gritzewsky, Yarden Bibas, Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Keren Munder, Ohad Munder Zichri, Margalit Moses, and Aviva Siegel.
The exhibition will be displayed at Ben Gurion Airport for the coming week, allowing tens of thousands of travelers to view it and remember the urgency and importance of returning the remaining hostages. The artwork will later be exhibited in New York as well.
Hamas captivity survivor Raz Ben Ami, who participated in the project and whose painting is featured in the exhibition, said "In a few days, we will commemorate Memorial Day and Independence Day, and this year, more than ever, we feel the profound absence of our 59 brothers and sisters. This absence reminds us how incomplete our independence is without them, and how urgently they need to be here with us."
"I returned after 54 days, and after too many months, Ohad also returned to us, so fortunately we are a complete family, but we cannot move forward until all the hostages are here."
Levi Ben Baruch, uncle of Edan Alexander, spoke in the exhibition launch: "The paintings displayed here are just the beginning—they show that healing is possible. But for all of us to achieve true rehabilitation, we have only one shared national mission! To bring everyone back! To return the living to life, and the deceased to dignified burial."