From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 10, 2025
Relatives of hostages plead for unity in Israeli society at Jaffa Gate rally
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
The focus of the rally at Jaffa Gate is solidarity in Israeli society.
Ilai David, brother of hostage Eviatar David, speaks about the need to create the most moral, loving society in Israel in order to welcome the hostages home.
“The hostage families represent a microcosm of Israeli society,” says David.
He sends a message to his brother, taken hostage from the Nova music festival, telling him that the family is holding each other, and taking care of one another.
“We know you’re alive and coming home and I picture you hugging our parents and playing guitar while I play the piano. You’ll come back and you’ll study sound production and travel and raise a family.”
Siggi Cohen, mother of Eliya Cohen, taken hostage from the field shelter outside the music festival with hostages Or Levy, Alon Ohel and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, says October 7 was the biggest disaster with so many killed and taken hostage and soldiers killed.
“And why?” She says. “Because we were separated as a society and unable to accept one another, we were a weak and hostile society and the enemy took advantage of that.”
She speaks about meeting all of Eliya’s friends in the last year, “with tattoos and without tattoos, Haredim and Ethiopians, married and single, and they all love him,” says Cohen. “I ask myself what does he know that we don’t? I hope he’ll come back and tell us how he does it and until then, we’ll do our best to be patient with every kind of person.”
