A crowd gathered at Hostages Square Saturday night to call for the release of Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak, the last two remaining hostages from October 7th whose remains are still held in Gaza.
Itzik Gvili, father of Ran Gvili, shared: "On October 7th, 58 police officers and Border Police fighters gave their lives defending Israeli citizens. One of them was my son, Israeli hero Ran Gvili. That Saturday, Ran and his fellow officers selflessly protected everyone who needed help."
"We want to get off this rollercoaster. The time has come to bring Sudthisak and Ran back and close this circle.
"I’m calling on the mediators from here to make it clear in every possible way: there is no 'next phase,' and there is no 'day after in Gaza,' before 'Alumim’s shield' comes home. Hamas says they’re searching, but we’re not seeing progress. They’re playing games and toying with us, and this must stop now."
Jon Polin, father of the late Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was murdered in Hamas captivity, said: "To the children and family of Dror Or, our hearts are with you and always will be. To the Gvili and Rinthalak families, we are ALL still with you, until Ran and Sudthisak come home. May it be tonight! To every single one of you here: For 785 days, by continuing to show up, ALL of your LEGS have been PRAYING. You embody holiness."
"Acknowledging our mistakes, speaking the truth, can be hard. It requires courage and moral strength. But only through confronting our past, acknowledging mistakes, and speaking truth can we heal our divisions and fulfill our true, tremendous potential as the people of Israel."
Ayelet Goldin, sister of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was killed in Gaza in 2014 and his body returned to Israel for burial earlier this month, added: "My Hadar is proof that it’s possible to bring everyone home. I’m quoting a senior intelligence officer who brought Hadar back, along with many others: 'Hadar and Oron were cases a thousand times more complex than the October 7th hostages. So there’s no reason, not for the State of Israel, not for the IDF, not for anyone, that Ran and Sudthisak shouldn’t be home. There’s no scenario where they don’t come back. There’s no situation in which we don’t bring them home.'"
She added, "We will bring them back, and we will rebuild and create leadership and a society here that is worthy. Let us be worthy! Ran and Sudthisak, we are all here with you."
Nira Sharabi, wife of the late Yossi Sharabi, who was killed in Hamas captivity, said: "Tomorrow will be the day when our Dror Or is laid to rest. We will finally be able to say goodbye to him, as he lies beside his beloved Yonat, who was also murdered. We must ensure that the Gvili family and the Rinthalak family can say goodbye to their loved ones. The return of Ran and Sudthisak will allow closure for the entire nation. Only then can the sun set on October 7th, and we can create the new day that must finally arrive."
Eyal Eshel, father of Roni Eshel, who was killed in battle during the October 7 massacre, said: "The two hostages still there must come home now. Every day that passes is a national disgrace. The struggle to free the hostages has been led by families, and today, two years later, an entire country wants to know why they were abducted, why they were abandoned, and who didn’t save them when some walked into Gaza on their own feet and never returned. We demand a commission of inquiry, not a political one. An inquiry that will name those responsible, that will dismantle the mechanisms of failure, that will rebuild public trust. Because without truth, there is no healing. Without accountability, there is no leadership. And without justice, we have no country."