Agam Goldstein, released from Hamas captivity during a November 2023 prisoner swap, spoke Saturday night at an International Women's Day rally demanding that 19 women held hostage in Gaza be released from captivity.
During the November 2023 swap, Israel and Hamas signed on an agreement to release female and minor terrorists in exchange for all civilian women and children under age 19 held in Gaza. Hamas, however, failed to keep its side of the bargain.
Goldstein was kidnapped from her home in a Kfar Gaza along with her mother and two brothers. Her father Nadav and sister Yam were murdered on October 7th.
At the Saturday night rally, she said, "They see you and feel you from there. Thank you for coming again every Saturday."
"I am Agam Goldstein, and it has been over a hundred days since I was released from Hamas captivity. And it's sad here. Very sad here.
"Parents whose children disappeared one day, grandchildren whose grandparents suddenly don't show up, a woman giving birth to her son while her husband is held hostage, soldiers who go into battle and don't return. Over a thousand murdered and killed, 134 hostages, civilians and soldiers.
"Though I was released from captivity, nothing changed because I still stand here today asking for them to return too. What more can I say? Which words should I choose? Everything is being done, and you are still there."
She continued, "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What advantage does man have in all his work which he toils under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; and hastening to its place it rises there again. Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north, the wind continues swirling along; and on its circular courses the wind returns. All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again. All things toil continuously; man is not able to express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear filled with hearing. A quote from Ecclesiastes."
"I was released, yet I still stand here today. I shared some of the horrors I experienced there, that the other men and women experienced and are still experiencing, but there is nothing new under the sun.
"Families flying all over the world, clutching photos of their most beloved, attending all kinds of conferences with important people, but there is nothing new under the sun. A video released over a month ago where Daniella, Karina and Doron beg to be saved, speaking of the grave danger, but there is nothing new under the sun. A recording released this week of a conversation between Hamas terrorists, happy that they succeeded in kidnapping a woman, or what did they call her? A noble mare. And there is nothing new under the sun.
"The pain and anger flow through my veins, but I will have to set them aside for a moment and turn to you - Hamas - hafazuu ealaa al'iinsania alati baqiat fikum, wa'atlaquu sarah almukhtatafin. If any shred of humanity remains in you, release the hostages.
"From what I was taught about Islam, it is a religion that believes in bringing good into the world and opposes injustice. There are verses in the Quran that explicitly say - treat women well. There is also a verse about holding prisoners, about the way it is permitted by religion to hold them. And all we can hope for is that some humanity exists within you, or at the very least that you received a mission to keep them alive.
"And to you, citizens of the State of Israel, I call on you to fight for them. The people are broken, the country is sad. Spare your terrible reactions towards some of the hostages who returned, we were, and they are still victims of the State. We need to unite for their return from there, for their sake, for the fallen and murdered. The hostages are what matter most. They need to return and rebuild new lives for themselves.
"I send strength to the aching families, the frustrated ones doing everything for your return.
"And to those of you still there, I send you strength to do everything, anything you can, to get through another day, another moment,
"But only if we here - the citizens, the army and the government - do everything too."