As the Jewish people observe the sacred days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, hostage families and survivors gathered in both Jerusalem and New York to mark the two-year anniversary of the October 7th massacre and issue an urgent call for the immediate release of the 48 hostages still held in Gaza.
The demonstrations occurred as reports signal progress toward a potential agreement to secure the hostages’s freedom.
In Jerusalem, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters invited the public to gather at the "Save Them!" sukkah, erected near the Prime Minister's Residence, to observe Sukkot Eve. The families urged the public to share a communal dinner at the site, stating, "we will not rest until the last hostage returns home".
Speaking at Hostages Square, Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, whose family members were taken captive, delivered a passionate address. "How can we not remember that exactly two years ago, during these very days, the terrible tragedy of October 7th occurred?" Troufanov asked.
He described the collective prayer as "not mere words, it is a cry. It is a mission. It is a responsibility". Troufanov closed with a vow: "We will not rest, we will not be silent, until the last of them returns," proclaiming, "'From darkness, we choose light. From pain, we choose hope'".
New York rally expresses cautious optimism
Simultaneously in Central Park, New York, families, survivors, and supporters gathered to thank the American administration and voice strong support for US President Donald Trump’s plan, expressing "cautious optimism" regarding a potential agreement.
Survivors spoke to the crowd about the brutal conditions hostages continue to face. Freed hostage Keith Siegel described his ordeal: "The brutality I endured still haunts me".
He added, "The images of medieval torture, the echoes of suffering, they do not fade". Siegel lamented that he couldn't believe he was free while friends were still held and called the crisis his "life’s mission." He thanked the US administration for prioritizing the issue.
Iair Horn, a freed hostage and brother of current hostage Eitan Horn, reminded the crowd that the tragedy is "Israel’s story and the story of the Jewish people." He recalled that in captivity, he and his brother Eitan "dream[ed] about small things, a bottle of water, a moment of freedom."
Family members emphasized that the crisis transcends politics. Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of hostage Omri Miran, declared: "This is above politics, this is the most sacred mission". Nadav Rudaeff, son of hostage Lior Rudaeff, stressed the historical importance of the moment: "We are living a historic moment that will define the future of Israel and the Middle East."
Both demonstrations underscored the unified message that the national trauma cannot end until the last person is released. As the families in Jerusalem stated, they will continue to stand together "every holiday, every Sabbath, and every additional day that passes while our loved ones languish in Gaza ,because until they're home, this isn't over".