The Hostages and Missing Families Forum produced “an emergency call” event on Friday, urging the release of the remaining 48 hostages being held in Gaza, as Israel marks 700 days since Hamas’s October 7 massacre.
Dressed in yellow, representatives from the forum lined up in such a way that they spelled out the term: SOS, along with the shape of an hourglass to indicate that the hostages’ time is running out.
In an address to the government, the attendees said, “The excuses are over. A deal must be made now, before it is too late.”
The forum hosted several protests marking the 700th day of war, including the 101st Kabbalat Shabbat prayer service at the Hostage Square.
“700 days is too much,” the forum said. “We cannot reach a 102nd Shabbat like this. Every day is critical for the hostages. We don’t have the privilege of waiting another day. Replace the Friday table with the negotiating table and don’t get up until the date and manner of returning the last hostage is agreed upon.”
Liberman: While the hostages remain in Gaza, every day is Oct. 7
Yisrael Beytenu chairperson Avigdor Liberman wrote on X/Twitter that “years of a policy of containment instead of decisive action by [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu ended in a heavy price: thousands murdered, hundreds kidnapped, and families shattered.”
“Seven hundred days later, 48 hostages are still in Gaza,” Liberman continued. “As long as they are there, every day is a painful continuation of October 7. We must not accept this.”