Crowds gathered this evening (Tuesday) for the "Singing Together for Their Return" rally in Hostages Square just before Passover, praying for the release of the 59 hostages who remain in Hamas captivity.
Macabit Mayer, aunt of Gali and Ziv Berman, said: "The echoes of battle and sounds of war are heard over Gali and Zivi's heads. Our greatest fear has come true. And we are here with them dealing with only one emotion – fear. Fear that our numbers are dwindling, and people are growing tired.
"A second Passover without you, and nothing has value. Everything has been taken from you – freedom, control, every basic human condition. Military pressure endangers them and endangers the soldiers. Gali and Zivi are surviving, clinging to life, and just want to come home," Mayer said.
Roni Adar, sister of the late Tamir Adar, said, "Soon we'll all sit at the Seder table. We'll celebrate the Festival of Freedom – but 59 of our brothers and sisters, men, women, both living and fallen, are still held captive by Hamas. Each one of them has been robbed of their freedom to live or the freedom of Jewish burial in our land. Once again at the Seder, we'll ask: 'How is this night different from all other nights?' And our hearts will answer – everything is different. How can we celebrate freedom when an entire nation is bound in grief, in captivity, in loss? I invite each and every one of you to take one person in captivity, a hostage, living or fallen, and set an empty chair for them at your Seder table."
Lea Yanai, sister of Hamas captivity survivor Moran Stela Yanai, said, "I never imagined we'd reach this day with the word 'rehabilitation' light years away for all the families. We are one family and we won't give up until the last hostage returns home. 59 hostages are still in Gaza. And we must not get used to this. We know what's happening there – from the testimonies, from the videos, from the empty looks of families that are falling apart.
"We stand at the threshold of the Festival of Freedom – a holiday that reminds us that human freedom is a supreme value. We must not give up on anyone. Not now. Not ever. It is our duty to stand united and demand, without compromise, the return of our brothers and sisters. Because giving up on them means giving up on ourselves. This is our duty. This is our mission. Only then – can we be redeemed," Yanai said.