From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 10, 2024
‘A fight for us all’: Relatives of hostages gather at Jerusalem’s Paris Square for protest
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
A large crowd gathers at Jerusalem’s Paris Square to rally for the hostages as Elad Or, brother of hostage Dror Or taken from Kibbutz Re’im on October 7 , says he and his father represent the families of hostages, “a terrible title that describes what it’s like to grow up in Kibbutz Re’im and Kibbutz Be’eri,” two of the over 20 communities attacked by Hamas on October 7.
Dror Or’s wife was killed in the attack and his two children, 17-year-old Noam and 13-year-old Alma Or, were taken hostage and later released in the truce agreement in late November. Nephew Liam Or, 18, was also taken hostage on October 7 and later released.
“People say we only care about our own people,” says Or, “but the people here are the answer to that description. You’re the answer to solidarity and unity. You understand that it’s a fight for us all.”
Or said it was necessary to speak up now in support of a possible deal on the table that could save lives.
“We don’t have the privilege of giving up,” says Or. “The price of the hostages is the highest price we are paying. Show the government of Israel that it can do this. Be our hope.”
