Ditza Or, the mother of Avinatan Or - one of the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza - delivered a powerful message to the government during her address at the National Vision conference on Thursday evening. The event was organized by the Tkuma movement and the Yesha Council.
"Next week, our daughter Emuna is getting married, and our hearts are filled with hope that Avinatan will surprise us and arrive, just as he always did. This dream is what sustains us," she said, her voice charged with emotion.
Or described the complex emotional reality she faces - both as a mother longing for her son’s safe return and as an Israeli citizen seeking a clear and decisive military outcome.
"As a mother, all I want is to protect him. But I also recognize that this is about something larger. If there had been no hostages on October 7, only the other atrocities, we would already be in the midst of a full-scale military campaign and on our way back. The continued presence of hostages is what enables the state to keep speaking of a ‘new Middle East.’ I didn’t choose this path. I demand his return - but as long as he’s there, I see it as a mission."
She sharply criticized the government’s handling of the war effort, stating that it has failed to pursue the return of the hostages with true resolve.
"We are not conducting a real war aimed at bringing everyone back. Soldiers returning from the field describe operational constraints and restrictions. There is no fighting directed at securing a decisive result."
Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly, Or said the government must make a clear decision.
"Netanyahu - if you do not intend to secure a decisive victory, then surrender. Bring back all the hostages and close this chapter. But right now, the State of Israel is on the fence - not rescuing the hostages, not defeating Hamas, and at the same time contending with international condemnations and sanctions. I call on the Israeli government to make a choice - honestly, sincerely, and with integrity. Only then can we win this war."