Thousands of Israelis gathered in Hostage Square Saturday night in order to demand the return of the remaining 58 Israeli hostages, of whom at least 21 are believed to be alive.
By Rachel Avraham
Thousands gathered at Hostages Square Saturday evening, united in their demand for the return of 58 loved ones still held captive by Hamas, Arutz Sheva reported. According to the Washington Post, US President Donald Trump declared that only 21 of the hostages are believed to be alive, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the fate of three is uncertain. According to Arutz Sheva, the rally came as Israel approaches the unimaginable milestone of 600 days of captivity, following the return of the Israeli delegation from negotiation talks in Doha.
At the rally, Arutz Sheva reported that former hostage Naama Levy, who was one of the IDF lookouts from the Nahal Oz base that was abducted on October 7th and released after 477 days in captivity, shared: “In the first weeks of captivity, I was alone — just me and my guards. In constant flight, in mortal fear. Sometimes entire days without food, with little water.”
According to Levy, at one point, she survived on rainwater, Yedioth Achronot reported: “I had nothing left. Not even water. Then it started raining. My captors put a pot outside, and I drank from that water. It was enough for rice. That’s what kept me alive.”
However, Arutz Sheva reported that Levy recounted that the Israeli airstrikes also adversely affected the hostages: “What frightened me most were the bombings. First you hear the whistling, praying it won’t fall on us. Then the explosions — sounds so intense they paralyze your body, and the earth is shaking. Each time, I was certain it was my end. In one bombing, part of the house I was in collapsed. Fortunately, the wall I was leaning against didn’t crumble, and that’s what saved my life.”
According to Arutz Sheva, Levy declared at the rally: “Even now, at this very moment, there are hostages hearing those same whistles and explosions. They’re there, trembling with fear. They have nowhere to run, only to pray and cling to walls with a terrible sense of helplessness.” She added, “I stand here free, but my heart is not whole. Because until the last hostage returns, I — like all my fellow returnees — cannot truly feel that we’ve come back, cannot truly recover.” The plight of Naama Levy in captivity gained international attention when footage of her in bloodied grey sweatpants circulated online. According to the Jerusalem Post, released hostages told her family that she was wounded.
“We support a courageous government that will make a brave decision and bring them home,” Liran Berman, brother of Gali and Ziv Berman, said at the demonstration, the Jerusalem Post reported. “We support an Israeli victory – which means the return of all the hostages.”
Meanwhile, new details have emerged regarding the conditions in which Edan Alexander was held hostage. Arutz Sheva reported that Adi Alexander, the father of Edan Alexander, described how Edan was forced to conceal his identity while imprisoned in a Hamas-run facility that housed dozens of hostages: “They put a ski mask with a green ribbon on him, and he walked between the cells, serving and clearing plates: The other hostages didn’t even know who he was.”
In the early days of captivity, the facility where Edan was held turned into an operational Hamas base, Arutz Sheva reported, noting that alongside Edan were hostages from Nir Oz and several Thai workers. According to the report, with dozens needing food, sanitation, and basic care, Edan stepped in to help: “He volunteered to look after the Thai crew partly because they struggled to communicate with Hamas.”
On April 14, the Israeli Air Force targeted a Hamas compound guarding the tunnel where Edan was being held, according to a Ynet report. According to Arutz Sheva, the strike caused part of the tunnel to collapse, resulting in Edan sustaining injuries to his shoulder and hands while trying to free himself from the rubble. According to the report, Edan has not recovered from these injuries to date.
According to the Washington Post, the hostages who are believed to still be alive are Matan Angrest, age 22; Gali Berman, age 27; his twin brother Ziv Berman, age 27; Elkana Bohbat, age 36; Rom Braslavski, age 21; Nimrod Cohen, age 20; Israeli-Argentine citizen Ariel Cunio, age 27; his brother David Cunio, age 34; Evyatar David, age 24; Guy Gilboa Dalal, age 24; Russian-Israeli citizen Maxim Herkin, age 36; Israeli-Argentine citizen Eitan Horn, age 36; Nepalese citizen Bipin Joshi; Segev Kalfon, age 29; Bar Kuperstein, age 24; Hungarian Israeli citizen Omri Miran, age 48; Eitan Abraham Mor, age 24; German-Israeli citizen Tamir Nimrodi, age 20; Yosef Haim Ohana, age 24; Alon Ohel, age 24; Avinatan Or, age 32; Thai citizen Nattapong Pinta; and Matan Zangauker, age 25.
