'May their memory be a revolution': In Central Park, hundreds pay tribute to hostages murdered by Hamas

Hundreds of people hold a memorial rally in New York’s Central Park to mourn six Israeli and American hostages executed by Hamas in Gaza late last month, the Hostages Family Forum says in a statement.

Gilad and Nitza Korngold, whose son Tal Shoham was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, tell the rally that they know their son is alive.

“The Red Cross has refused to help our loved ones while shamelessly requesting better conditions for the terrorists in Israel’s imprisonment. We ask everyone here to call your representatives and demand the release of our loved ones from captivity.”

Gilad Korngold, whose son Tal Shoham is held by Hamas in Gaza, speaks during a rally calling for the release of the remaining Israelis abducted by the Palestinian terror group on October 7, Central Park, New York City, September 8. (Hostages Families Forum/Amnon Shemi, Liri Agami)

Moran Stela Yanai, who was kidnapped from the Supernova rave near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7 and released after 54 days in captivity, issues a call for the release of the remaining 97 hostages held by Hamas.

“It’s been 285 days since I was released in the hostage release agreement. The parents of Tal Shoham are like my own. My brothers and sisters in captivity are hungry and in pain and in constant danger,” she says.

“This past week has been the worst since October 7, but after hearing the families of the killed hostages speak at their funerals we must find the strength to keep fighting for them and bring them home!”

Released Hamas hostage Moran Stela Yanai speaks during a rally calling for the release of the remaining Israelis abducted by the Palestinian terror group on October 7, in Central Park, in New York City, on September 8, 2024. (Hostages Families Forum/Amnon Shemi, Liri Agami)

The IDF announced last weekend that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages abducted alive by Hamas on October 7 from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah, shortly after they were murdered by terrorists.

The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lobanov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 27.

Participants at the event hold a large banner with the six murdered hostages’ faces, with the phrase “May their memory be a revolution,” which was originally adapted from the traditional Jewish mourning phrase in honor of the late US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and recalled by the father of Goldberg-Polin at his funeral last week.