‘Don’t let it happen’: As Board of Peace formed, last hostage’s parents say they’re forsaken

Protesters gathered across the country Saturday evening to demand the return of the remains of the final slain hostage held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, and to call for a state commission of inquiry to investigate the failures surrounding the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught.

A rally was held in Meitar, the Gvili family’s home community, at the high school he had attended.

Gvili’s father spoke at the rally, with the parents also issuing a statement criticizing US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has announced an advancement to the second stage of the ceasefire in Gaza and the formation of a Board of Peace and other panels for managing postwar Gaza, even though Hamas was meant to free all the hostages during the first stage.

“As we are here, waiting for his return, a Board of Peace is being built for phase two,” said Ran’s parents, Itzik and Talik. “How can anyone be thinking about phase two? What peace is even being talked about? Peace for those who are refusing to return our son even though they are obligated to do so under the deal, despite the promises from Israel, the mediators and the American president.

“As father and mother, we call on anyone with a hand in this — don’t let it happen. Don’t leave our Rani behind and bury us together with him,” they added.

Calling the Board of Peace formation “very problematic,” they said they feel the Trump administration “is rushing to rebuild Gaza” without forcing Hamas to uphold its part of the deal.

“This forgiveness toward a terror group starts with giving up on Rani, and ends with leaving Hamas armed and dangerous. Whoever gives up on Rani gives up the security of the entire State of Israel,” they concluded, voicing trust in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to insist on their son’s return.

During the rally in Meitar, Itzik Gvili told the crowd: “On October 7 and throughout his life, Ran brought people together across every divide. Today, the unity we see here, with people from right and left standing together for him, reflects exactly who Ran is and the country he dreamed of — a country built on care, connection and love.”

There were hundreds in attendance, including Ran Gvili’s friends from school and the army, as well as former captives Gali and Ziv Berman and families of returned hostages.

Meirav Leshem Gonen, mother of captivity survivor Romi Gonen, said Gvili and others had helped protect her daughter during the October 7 attack.

“Ran was kidnapped from the very same place where Romi was abducted, and at nearly the same time,” she said. “In my phone call with Romi, you can hear the terrorists saying, ‘Here, take him — there is a soldier here.’ I often wonder whether that call was about Ran. What I know for certain is that Ran, along with other soldiers and members of the local emergency response teams, fought to keep my Romi alive — and they succeeded. They succeeded, and thanks to them, my Romi is here.”

Meanwhile, the main weekly anti-government protest, at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, drew thousands, according to Hebrew media reports and protest organizers.

Protesters held signs decrying the government’s refusal to establish a state inquiry into October 7. The coalition is instead advancing an effort to form a politically appointed inquiry into the onslaught. Protesters also demonstrated against the government’s judicial overhaul agenda, which aims to weaken the country’s allegedly overreaching judiciary.

Former defense minister and IDF chief Moshe Ya’alon — a fierce critic of Netanyahu — addressed the crowd, likening Israel’s government to the authoritarian regime in Iran that crushed nationwide mass protests this past week, with thousands reportedly killed.

“Don’t get mixed up: There’s no external existential threat facing Israel, but an internal one,” Ya’alon told the protesters, according to the Ynet outlet. “The messianic, draft-dodging, corrupt government — our ayatollah regime — is what brought about the October 7 massacre and is endangering the very existence of the state.”

Referring to the far-right national security minister, he claimed: “Ben Gvir is looking at how the regime there is handling the protesters, and is jealous.”