Families of hostages and supporters urge government to make tough decisions ‘now’
Senior reserves officer says Israel can pay price to free captives and still get by as mother of Supernova partygoer wonders how leaders would act if their relatives were in Gaza
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Standing in the pouring rain and falling temperatures, thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday night for a weekly demonstration in support of hostages held in Gaza, urging the government to pursue a deal for their release.
With talks for a second round of hostage releases appearing to flail despite reports of progress in recent days, former hostages, relatives of some of the 129 people still held in Gaza, military experts and media personalities called for Israel to do what is needed to bring the captives home immediately.
“Israel is strong enough to withstand the price that will be paid,” said former Israel Navy head Maj. Gen. (res.) Eli Marom. “The leadership has to make hard decisions and I’m sure that the IDF can handle any condition that the cabinet will approve.”
Sharon Aloni-Cunio, who was released as part of the last deal in late November along with 3-year-old twins, Emma and Yuli, spoke publicly at the rally for the first time about her experiences in Gaza. Her husband David Cunio remains hostage.
“Returning the hostages is the top priority, now, not in another year,” said Aloni-Cunio. David Cinio’s brother Ariel Cunio, his girlfriend Arbel Yehud and her brother, Dolev Yehud also remain hostage.
“My life stopped on October 7, I never imagined the disaster that happened on that day,” she said Aloni-Cunio, recounting that the family decided to exit the safe room “to die quickly,” as their Nir Oz home was attacked.
Instead, the entire family was taken hostage, and as they were taken into Gaza, “I saw things that I’ll never stop seeing,” she said.
Rachel Goldberg, mother of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a Supernova party-goer whose arm was blown off by the terrorists, wondered aloud how decisions about the hostages would have been made if one of the captives was related to “one of the men in one of these rooms where decisions are made,” she said.
“Would they have dealt with it differently,” she asked.
Organizers from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said families and supporters of the hostages would begin marching to the Knesset once again starting Sunday to emphasize the need to bring the hostages home.
As with many rallies in the last eleven weeks, the event began with a moment of silence for soldiers killed in battle in Gaza, with five fallen troops named earlier on Saturday.
Noa Tishby, an Israeli-born actress who has advocated for the country abroad, said she was at the rally “so that the world will not forget the 129 hostages held by Hamas, a murderous terrorist organization that uses them for psychological warfare.”
Another visiting speaker was American record producer Scooter Braun, who has been in Israel this week and said he “had to come and stand with my people.”
“I didn’t find a country filled with hate or anger, I found a nation of lions, filled with hope and courage and kindness and it let me know that the hostages will come home,” said Braun. “Am Yisrael Chai, bring the hostages home.”
More than 1,200 people were killed during the October 7 assault by Hamas terrorists, and 240 were taken hostage to Gaza, with the Israel Defense Forces began amassing forces, invading Gaza on October 27.
As the rally ended, organizers encouraged supporters to march to the Defense Ministry entrance on Begin Road, where families of hostages have been standing vigil and sleeping in tents for weeks.
“That’s where the cabinet meets, on the 19th floor,” said one of the organizers from the Hostage and Missing Families Forum.
