The press conference of the families of the abductees took place today (Friday) against the background of the great uncertainty and distress of the families since the events of last Saturday.
"Working 24 hours on the subject I am in charge of", Gal Hirsch at the press conference // Photo: Moshe Ben-Simhon
Ronen Tzur, the headquarters's founder and director, said: "Dear families, dear volunteers and dear staff, last Friday some of us went out to run errands and some went to a café, and some just sat in the morning with the newspaper, and most of us didn't know each other and none of us imagined that six days later we would become an extended, supportive and protective family, a family that shares destiny forever."
The press conference, today, photo: Gideon Markowitz
"What happened next on Saturday morning I don't want to talk, today will be enough time to talk about it. I do want to ask your forgiveness, on behalf of the State of Israel, on behalf of the IDF, and on behalf of all of us, for going through these days of suffering, without any justification or logic. I promise you that we will do everything possible around the clock so that the family will return home."
"Our negotiating team has the most years of experience in the State of Israel and has enlisted in this mission of releasing the abductees and missing persons. Dozens of people who in a matter of hours became the largest civilian army ever for such a mission. At the beginning of the week we will start radio broadcasts to families, the sample group took all the information that was scattered in many places and built us a database that we can work on."
Representatives of the families of the abductees, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Gal Hirsch, who is in charge of the abductees and missing persons, attended the press conference and addressed the families: "Hello dear families, I came here because I heard you are here, I stopped everything we are doing for a moment and ran here from the government ministries. It's very important to me that you see me in eye contact. I know that not all the families of the missing and abducted are here, I will meet you all, embrace you all and take care of all of you."
Ronen Tzur, Founder and Director,
"On Saturday, the enemy rose up against us and the contact line was breached. The price is terrible and we are at war. The fighting continues right during these hours and it will continue. It's just begun, it's probably not over. The prime minister appointed me to be in charge of the issue of abductees. I want to tell you that we are currently operating in four efforts, intelligence and operational, and are working 4 hours on the subject I am in charge of."
"We can't understand the difficulty and pain you're going through." The press conference, today, photo: Gideon Markowitz
"We have a government hotline *6754. Officers who enlisted at lightning speed. Talk to them about what you want and what you need. We have many teams that will come to your home of senior people on behalf of division heads, division heads, senior managers in the economy and workers on my behalf."
Parents of abducted soldier Hadar Goldin, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
"At this time, we have a support and assistance center for all the families of the missing and abducted. You'll get everything there and you won't have to run around dealing with bureaucracy. We will do everything to be good and improve as we go. We are in the midst of the war and we are on a long journey to defend the State of Israel, win the war and bring our dear ones home."
"I know, understand and hurt with you. I want you to know that my team and I came from love, only love, and that's what you'll get. Everything from the heart, just to make it a little easier. The difficulty and pain you are going through we cannot understand. We went through very difficult hours. We have lost the good and the good, citizens, entire families. Babies, children, fathers, mothers, young people and the elderly, we lost soldiers and members of the security forces."
"We are on a long journey to defend the State of Israel, win the war and bring our dear ones home." Gal Hirsch, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
"The price is heavy, many people are no longer with us and many people are missing. We do everything we know how to do to find the people. First of all, to know where they are and how they are doing, and everything we can do for them will be done to bring them home to Israel. I am running back to my missions but you have an address and I am for you and the good people with me, they will be with you day and night, thank you very much and a big hug."
Dudi Zalmanovitch, whose partner's family member was abducted to Gaza: "The first thing I want and ask of myself every time, and I ask the families as well. We are in a rolling process, a very complex process, we deliberately brought representatives of the families into the process and we are in contact with everyone. I ask for patience if something is not done on time, please be patient."
are on an uncertain island. Families of the abductees, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Last Tuesday, the families met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the president's residence in Jerusalem. The staff members expressed to the president the difficult situation in which they were left without answers from government officials, and demanded that everything be done to return all the prisoners and missing safely home.
The headquarters for the struggle for the release of the abducted hostages already has more than 800 families and thousands of volunteers. The negotiating team on behalf of the families is led by Uri Slonim, David Meidan, Shimshon Libman and Yaakov Peri.
Today's press conference,
The legal team that will assist in various legal aspects in the domestic and international arenas, including defining Hamas' actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity, will be led by Raz Nizri and Dan Eldad.
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