From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 13, 2024
At Tel Aviv rally, sister of presumed captive plays last message she got from her on Oct. 7
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Speaking at the Tel Aviv rally for the hostages, Yamit Ashkenazi plays the last voice message she received from her younger sister Doron Steinbrecher, who is believed held hostage in Gaza after being abducted by terrorists on October 7.
“They caught me, they caught me, they caught me,” Doron says in a faint voice on the recording.
“I go to sleep and wake up in the morning and hear her saying that,” says Ashkenazi.
At the rally, Ashkenazi yells at the government for “twenty years of abandonment.”
“In the Gaza border communities, we believed we were safe and we stayed to bring up our children there, but you who closed your eyes, sitting in your safe houses, who talk about the day [the war] after while my sister and another 135 are there, wake up already!” she says.
“What are you waiting for, to have another 100 days to find out about another hostage killed in captivity?” Ashkenazi continues. “I don’t want my sister coming home in a coffin and no one wants their loved ones in a coffin. Take responsibility. There is no price tag for our loved ones. We’ve stopped being polite. I demand — everyone home now.”
