Child of hostage held in Gaza says only wish is to celebrate New Year with father

The older brother of Ofer Calderon, who was injured during the October 7 Hamas onslaught and is still held hostage in Gaza, addresses a rally this evening at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, says how much he misses his younger brother, “his laugh, his smile, his energies, the long conversations.”

“Our lives were stopped on October 7 and will never be the same,” says Nissan Calderon. “And until he returns, we can’t rebuild our new lives.”

Rotem Calderon, one of Ofer Calderon’s four children, says, “I can’t sleep without my dad.” Ofer Calderon was taken captive with two of his younger children, who have since been released.

“They came back and tell about the terrors there in captivity,” says Rotem Calderon.

“I turned 19 in October,” says Rotem. “I tried to celebrate that day and then was told my grandmother and cousin were killed. I haven’t mourned them yet. We have to yell and not just for the hostage families — for all of the nation of Israel.

“Am Yisrael Chai — the people of Israel lives, but we won’t live until all the hostages return home,” Rotem continues. “The whole world will celebrate the end of the year — I have one wish for this year, to celebrate it with Dad.”