Families of hostages gathered Saturday night alongside over 100,000 supporters at Hostages Square, protesting the plan to expand the fighting in Gaza, which aims to put pressure on the Hamas terror group.
Hamas captivity survivor Eliya Cohen shared, "I saw the videos of Rom and Evyatar, and I saw myself in that place not so long ago: tied up, starving, dreaming of coming home. Then I thought about what happened after the camera turned off - the door closing, the silence, the darkness, the fragile hope."
"President Trump, thank you for bringing me home, but please, help us get a deal that brings everyone home now. I was held captive for 505 days alongside Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Alon Ohel, who is still deteriorating in Hamas tunnels. When Eli, Or, and I were released from captivity, you were all shocked. The world trembled when you saw our emaciation and pain-filled eyes.
"We spoke about the hunger, we spoke about the conditions, we pleaded for help for those left behind - for Alon Ohel, whom I left alone in the tunnel, wounded. I was the last person to look him in the eyes and promise him, 'Until we meet again in Israel, this isn’t over.'"
He added that during his last moments in captivity, he recited the "Shir Lama'alot" prayer.
Hamas captivity survivor Ilana Gritzewsky, girlfriend of hostage Matan Zangauker, added, "My Matan has been trapped in hell for over 670 days. We have all seen with our own eyes what this hell looks like - we saw Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, starved, broken, tortured by monsters. Time is running out for all 50 hostages. More fighting will put them in even greater danger."
"President Trump, you have brought many hostages out of hell before - we can never thank you enough. Please, continue to stand with us and seal the deal to get them all out and end this war now! Show the world again what true leadership looks like."
Captivity survivor Sharon Cunio, wife of hostage David Cunio, related: "I saw the videos of Rom and Evyatar. I watched and thought about my David: How much does he weigh now? When did he last eat? Did they also ask him to dig his own grave?"
"So I say here to the decision-makers: Your primary, basic, Zionist and Jewish duty is to bring them home. All of them. Don’t sacrifice them."
Lishay Miran Lavi, wife of hostage Omri Miran, said: "I haven’t seen him in 673 days. I don’t know if he’s surviving, if he’s cold, if he’s in pain. Our little girls ask for their father, and I have no answers."
"Now the government has decided to expand the war and push deeper into Gaza. Every invasion, every bullet, every airstrike could cost him his life. This isn’t just a military decision. It could be a death sentence for the people we love most. I’m terrified. I’m angry. I won’t stay silent.
"President Trump, thank you for fighting for the hostages. But the truth is simple: only an end to this war will bring them home. Please, seal a deal. Bring them back."
Nira Sharabi, wife of murdered hostage Yossi Sharabi, argued: "Yossi could have returned to us if only they had brought everyone back, quickly and decisively. My Yossi was killed because of the intensity of fighting. He was hit by an Air Force missile at the place where he was held. No woman should experience what I experienced."