At a rally held in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council - the closest point in Israel to the Gaza Strip - families of hostages appealed to the government to advance a deal for the return of their loved ones.
"To the decision-makers, we cry out from here: enough. Bring them back. Let us rebuild, breathe, embrace, break down, and build again. Give us the chance to truly live. 50 worlds, 48 families, one time-bound agreement," they stated.
Lishay Miran-Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, recalled a column she wrote a year ago: “I wrote then: ‘We missed the opportunity in April. I’m not willing to let another one slip away. I’m not willing to hear in a few months that we missed July too.’”
“Today, when someone sent me that text again, my anxiety surged. This isn’t a rerun. They must not miss again. A deal is on the table. There’s a real chance for release. This cannot be derailed once more.”
Miran-Lavi continued, “Today, Roni said she wants her dad to come home already. In a week and a half, she’ll celebrate her birthday, and the only gift she wants is her father. Omri, her dad, should have been back long ago. He’s surviving—but he must return to life. We don’t want progress; we don’t need patience. Our 50 loved ones don’t have time—neither the living nor the fallen.”
Yaffa Rudaeff, wife of Lior Rudaeff who was kidnapped and murdered, said, “Today is Lior’s birthday. Again, there’s no one to celebrate with. Once more, we gather to mark, remember, and mourn—a birthday filled with sorrow. Lior remains 61 forever. There’s no grave; his body is still being held.
“As a family, we’ve chosen to continue his path—a path of principle, without selfishness or compromise. We invite the public to donate blood in his memory, and to call for the release of all hostages, together, without distinction. The living—to be embraced by their families. The murdered—for a proper burial.”
Shir Siegel, daughter of Aviva and Keith Siegel - who survived captivity - shared: “My father was held with Gali, Zivi, and Omri. He remembers their faces, their despair, their fear - and their hope to hear a familiar voice on the radio. The panic when a bomb fell too close. He came back - but they didn’t.”
“He promised to send their regards. Today, he feels like part of their families. But how do you move on when part of your heart is still in Gaza? How do you return to normal when they remain there?”
“We’re missing 50 pieces of the puzzle to be whole again. To grow, to heal—this puzzle must be complete.”