At Tel Aviv rally, released hostage says ‘we were abandoned by the State of Israel’

By Jessica Steinberg

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14 January 2024, 6:30 pm

4 Edit

Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center

The reunification of the Brodutch family, with father Avichai meeting his wife Hagar and their children Ofri, 10, Yuval, 9 and Oriya, 4, after the latter four were held by terrorists in Gaza for 51 days, November 27, 2023. (Spokesperson's Office, Schneider Children's Medical Center)

Hagar Brodutch, who was taken hostage with her three children and the neighbors’ child, Avigail Idan, speaks about her 51 days in captivity, during which she was sure that her husband, Avihai, had been killed while fighting with the kibbutz’s local security team.

“We were abandoned by State of Israel,” says Brodutch at a rally in Tel Aviv marking 100 days since October 7. “There is no resurrection until all the hostages are back.”

Kibbutz Kfar Aza buried more than 60 members, says Brodutch, noting that her children suffer nightmares, as do all the hostages.

“They need their home now!” says Brodutch.

Daniel Waiss, whose father Shmulik was killed in Be’eri and whose mother, Yehudit was killed in Gaza after being taken hostage, performs at the 100-day rally. He is followed by actor and performer Shuli Rand, singing his 2015 song “Breishit” (Genesis), which describes the Garden of Eden: “This huge wound will, God willing, heal soon,” says Rand.