Hostage’s father calls on demonstrators in Tel Aviv to join strike tomorrow

The father of hostage Eitan Horn calls on demonstrators in Tel Aviv to join in the day-long strike demanding a hostage deal and an end to the war, set to take place tomorrow across the country.

“Tomorrow, Israel will come to a halt, and I call on everyone to participate. This is not a vacation day to pass time in the malls, it is a day to cry out,” says Itzik Horn from the stage in Hostages Square. “It is not just a day to empathize with the hostage families, but a civil demonstration to protect the State of Israel’s moral character.”

Horn’s son, Eitan, was taken hostage alongside his brother, Iair, by Hamas terrorists from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. Iair Horn was released in February this year in a hostage-ceasefire deal, but Eitan remains in captivity.

Horn accuses the government of neglecting the hostages, questioning how the cabinet could agree on a plan to expand the fighting in Gaza after “seeing the videos of starvation and the difficult testimonies of the hostages who were returned home, [describing] the immense suffering, the torture, the psychological terror.”

If Israel’s political leadership indeed decides to pursue its plan to take over Gaza City, “why don’t they have the courage to go out publicly and announce their choice of my son Eitan’s death?” Horn asks bitterly.

“As we demonstrate, they accuse us of hurting our loved ones and playing into the hands of Hamas,” he continues. “[But] how does the conflict between the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff help bring Eitan and the rest of the hostages back?”

He poses a question to the crowd, which doubles as a popular protest chant: “Why are they still in Gaza?” Then provides his answer: “They are there because the leadership doesn’t want to return them home; the time has come to bring them back.”