Hostage families march on Jerusalem - ‘United for the Release of the Hostages’

Families, friends and supporters of hostages currently being held by Hamas, as well as former hostages, on Wednesday embarked on a march from the Gaza envelope towards Jerusalem under the banner “United for the Release of the Hostages.”

“Like all other initiatives we’ve organized and participated in, this march is aimed to bring about the release of the hostages,” Daniel Lifshitz told the Jewish News Syndicate on Wednesday.

“This march will show how united the country and all Israeli cities are for the release of the hostages,” Lifshitz said.

Hostage families already conducted a march to Jerusalem last November, with over 25,000 people joining for the last leg of the march and the central demonstration in front of the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.

The recent march began on Wednesday at the site of the Supernova musical festival near Kibbutz Re’im, where Hamas terrorists murdered hundreds and kidnapped dozens of partygoers on Oct. 7.

The first leg of the march concluded with a solidarity ceremony at the ruins of the destroyed police station in the city of Sderot.

The march will conclude on Saturday with a rally at Paris Square in central Jerusalem.

“We are calling on the government to finalize an agreement. Bringing back the hostages is part of restoring the country’s hope for a better future,” said Lifshitz.

Lifshitz’s grandfather Oded (84) is being held by Hamas in Gaza, while his grandmother Yocheved was released on Oct. 23, after 16 days in captivity.

Friday’s march was dedicated to the captured IDF soldiers and was joined by War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz and his party colleague, Minister Chili Tropper.

“We are here with you in this justified journey that speaks to the hearts of the people, and brings absolute and continuous awareness of the importance of the boys and girls returning home healthy, as soon as possible,” Gantz told the attendees

Gantz and Tropper joined the parents of captured soldiers by carrying 134 stretchers to represent the 134 soldiers still being held in captivity.

“We will never understand what you are going through,” Tropper said.

“We understand that people should not be left alone, we should not rest for a moment and we will be with you throughout the journey. From the outside, sometimes there are those who try to break us apart, for everyone who came here today it is clear that the enemy is only Hamas.”