Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel launches "Lighting up the Light" campaign for early return of hostages
Oct 21, 2023
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 22 : Ahead of a likely ground offensive against terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum headquarters in Israel on Saturday launched a "Lighting up the Light" campaign for the early return of hostages.
As part of the campaign, the families of the hostages and the missing persons are calling on Israeli citizens to "light up" for five minutes in a show of solidarity and strength for the hostages, at the Museum Tower, 4 Barakovich St. in Tel Aviv.
Along with the families, hundreds across the country have joined the initiative, including members of the Knesset, the country's primary legislative body, municipalities, malls, stadiums, theatres, and more.
Moreover, staffers of El Al flights, an Israeli carrier, will also join the initiative.
On the vacant seats at the Shabbat dinner table, a family member of one of the hostages and missing persons said, "These chairs represent all of our hostages, who are Israelis, Jews, and people from all over the world, who were unfortunately at the party during the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7."
"Some of them were hijacked, and some raped, killed, and slaughtered in ways that the human mind cannot even comprehend. It's that worse. And the world should know that what happened here was a massacre," he said.
Adding that the Hamas terrorists are "not humans and don't seek peace", he said, "They represent terror, sheer terror acts."
Also extending gratitude to US President Joe Biden for his support in ensuring the release of the hostages at the earliest, he added, "Thank god US President Joe Biden is helping us...hopefully it will bring some good results for us as well because President Biden specifically said that he will bring all of them back, which means Israelis, US citizens, and others who are being kept there."
Noting that nobody knows what state the hostages are in, he said, "We don't have an idea what their situation or health is. Have they been taken care of? Nobody knows."
A father of a kidnapped soldier said his 19-year-old son was "kidnapped from his base while he was sleeping."
"He was speaking with us when he was taken. His last words before being abducted were, 'I love you very much. This is the end'. Then the telephone line got disconnected. He was describing the situation (at the base)--the explosions, shouts, and the gunfire. And then he told us that they were coming in. He said, 'There is nothing I can do. I don't know what to do. It's the end. And that's all. I love you very much. And that's all'," he recalled.
The father informed further that his son is asthmatic and needs medication.
"He hasn't taken any medication...I am very worried about my son. And not just about my son but everyone who was abducted," he added.
Another kin of a hostage, who is involved in the campaign, said his cousin was taken by the Hamas terrorists from their house.
"They're babies, it's not a place for babies to be. There shouldn't be hostages. In a war, it's army against army. It's not a place for kids," he said, urging efforts to bring them home at the earliest.
"I'm asking you, if you can, please help us bring them back home. That's the only thing that we're going to ask... We still have hope. We want them back. We're not going to stop until we're going to bring them back," he added.
Israel declared war on Hamas after an estimated 2,500 terrorists, under the cover of rocket fire, infiltrated the country, opening fire at border communities, murdering civilians and sneaking back into Gaza with 200-250 hostages of all ages.
