Families of hostages held in terror captivity by Hamas and other Gazan terror groups gathered outside the homes of several ministers on Monday morning to mark a year and a half since the October 7 Massacre.
The main gathering was held at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jerusalem residence. Hostage families also gathered in smaller crowds outside the residences of other politicians, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat, former Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, and others.
“There is a heavy and difficult feeling as if the return of our loved ones has been pushed aside; we must bring everyone back now!” the families stated.
The families called for the “immediate return of the 59 hostages from Hamas captivity,” according to a statement from the Hostage Families Forum.
The protest activity began at 6:29 a.m., the same time that Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s border and began their attack.
Demonstrators begin protest to mark a year and a half since the October 7 massacre in front of Amichai Chikli’s house (credit: Gilad Gozni)
Demonstrators began by reading the names of the 59 remaining hostages, with a prayer session and recordings of testimonies from captivity survivors, the forum said.
‘History will remember’
The families also held signs reading, “History will remember” while calling on decision-makers to reach an agreement that would “bring about the immediate return of all hostages in a single step.”
Erez Adar addresses the gathered hostage families marking 1.5 years since the October 7 Massacre, April 7, 2025. (Credit: Hostages Families Forum)
Erez Adar, uncle of Tamir Adar, whose body remains in Gaza, stated, “59 people are in hell, and there is no end in sight. Fifty-nine people, who should be the most urgent issue in the State of Israel, have been pushed to the margins.”
“I am here today because we are at an impasse,” he commented, adding, “We are enraged, and we call on the prime minister to bring back all the hostages in a single step. This is the most important issue on the agenda. We must bring them all back, the living for rehabilitation, and the fallen for burial, so that there will be a chance for a better future.”
Varda Ben Baruch, Eden Alexander’s grandmother, stated, “There is a heavy and difficult feeling as if the return of our loved ones has been pushed aside.”
“Prime minister – ‘In every generation, a person must see himself as if he came out of Egypt.’ We say this in the Passover Haggadah. Now comes your moment of truth. You are in the United States, and you need to sit with President Trump and finalize a deal for everyone to come home. We are expecting this,” she added.
Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat was killed by Hamas alongside five other hostages after surviving 11 months of captivity, commented that “41 hostages were murdered in captivity. We hear the defense minister say, ‘In our view, we are not endangering the hostages.’ Defense Minister Israel Katz – we are living proof of the danger to the lives of the hostages – the living and the fallen may be lost if you do not act now.”
“President Trump – Please. It’s been a year and a half. There is only one word that can be shouted now – enough. Enough of this nightmare,” Dickmann added.
Jesus Christ is King
