Father of former hostage: ‘We don’t need to wait for a miracle, we need action’

Efi Shoham, the father of Staff Sgt. Yuval Shoham, who was killed in Gaza, calls for a hostage deal while eulogizing his son on December 30, 2024. (Screenshot from Facebook)
Efi Shoham, the father of Staff Sgt. Yuval Shoham, who was killed in Gaza, calls for a hostage deal while eulogizing his son on December 30, 2024. (Screenshot from Facebook)

Protesters in Jerusalem demanding a hostage deal memorialize Staff Sgt. Yuval Shoham, who was killed in the Gaza Strip last Sunday.

The fallen soldier was the son of a prominent anti-government activist in Jerusalem, Efi Shoham.

From onstage outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home, organizers screen a clip of Shoham eulogizing his son last week, calling on the government to reach a deal with Hamas to free the remaining hostages.

“On the fresh grave of my beloved son, our beloved son… I demand of you, demand in his name and in the name of so many others, to make a deal,” Shoham said at the funeral.

Yoav Engel, father of former hostage Ofir Engel who was released during the November 2023 truce, also speaks to the crowd.

“Just a short while ago it was Hanukkah, the holiday of miracles, but sadly, no miracle has happened. My friends, we don’t need to wait for a miracle, we need a decision and action,” says Engel.

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