500-minute fast urged by hostages’ families begins, as freed captive says rallies lift abductees’ spirits

A 500-minute fast advocated by activists for the hostages to mark their 500th day of captivity in Gaza and “identify with their pain” has begun, and will go on until 8 p.m. when the Hostages and Missing Families Forum says it will hold an “emergency gathering” at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, freed hostage Ohad Ben Ami calls on the public to take part in the nationwide demonstrations today.

“I intend to go outside and fight for them,” says Ben Ami, who was released by Hamas this month, emaciated after 16 months of mistreatment.

“What strongly kept my hopes up down there was that I knew people were fighting for me,” he adds, saying that what could truly raise the spirits of those still in captivity is if masses head out to demonstrate for the abductees today.

“You have no idea how much strength it would give to those left behind,” he says.