Hostage survivors, families of hostages, and bereaved families gathered Thursday evening at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv to mark 1,000 days since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War.
Hostage survivor Rom Braslavski described his struggle since returning from captivity, saying: "For you, it's 1,000 days. For me, it's eternity. For me, it's 1,000 lifetimes that I've lived within these 1,000 days."
He added: "My personal war-the war of rehabilitation and the battle against the cursed illness of post-traumatic stress disorder-continues every single day. Every treatment session leaves me in tears and almost fainting." He vowed: "I will make October 7 the mission of my life, and I will never forget."
"As long as I live," he continued, "I will carry this story with me and tell it wherever I can, on every platform I can-for the next 1,000 days and for the rest of my life."
Eyal Eshel, the father of slain IDF lookout Roni Eshel, sharply criticized the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"There is one man-Benjamin Netanyahu. The only thing that has changed about him since October 7 is that he has lost weight. There is one man-Bezalel Smotrich. He claims that thanks to him the hostages returned-even those who came back in body bags. There is one man-Simcha Rothman. He says they have had a simply wonderful term in office. There is one woman-Orit Strock-who thinks we are living through a time of miracles."
He continued: "And then there is me, Eyal Eshel. Exactly 1,000 days ago, my life came to a halt. In a single moment, we went from being a happy family to a family living with a wound that will never heal. A family raising a dead daughter. How did the greatest failure in the history of the State of Israel happen? How was an entire country abandoned? How were our children abandoned to burn to death in the fire of this failure?"
Later, he said: "While we are searching for answers, there are those trying to erase the stain. When Netanyahu said we were a step away from total victory, he meant victory over us-the bereaved families."
Addressing his murdered daughter, he concluded: "My Ronki, I promise you that we will not remain silent. I promise you that we will not allow the truth to be blurred. I promise you that we will not allow your death to become a chapter in history that someone rewrites."