Next week marks 100 days since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, in which 136 Israeli abductees are still being held in the Gaza Strip. The headquarters of the families of the abductees, which is leading the struggle for the release of their loved ones, will begin today (Thursday) and will continue until this Sunday, January 14, 2024, with a number of initiatives and gestures aimed at increasing public awareness and political and international pressure for the release of the abductees.
All this, with the Qatari proposal to renew negotiations on the table, in which in return for the release of all the hostages, senior Hamas figures will be exiled abroad and the IDF will gradually withdraw from the Gaza Strip.
First, the families of the abductees arrived at the southern border with the Gaza Strip on Thursday, equipped with loudspeakers and shouting to their loved ones: "We will not stop until you return home. The entire nation of Israel is behind you."
Meirav Leshem Gonen, Romi Gonen's mother: "We thought you'd be home within a week. Be strong!"
This is in the hope that the abductees held deep in Hamas' terror tunnels will hear their words. Immediately afterwards, the families of the abductees will drive to the Reim parking lot, the place where the Nova party took place on October 7, where a press conference will be held.
Tomorrow (Friday), the families' headquarters will hold marches in four locations across the country. Each march will be led by trucks, on which the families of the abductees will stand handcuffed as a sign of solidarity with their loved ones in captivity. In the announcement, the general public is invited to participate in the marches, the exact locations of which will be announced later by the families' headquarters.
The families of the abductees march to return their loved ones, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
The climactic event: a rally that will last 24 hours in a row
At the end of Saturday, January 13, 2024, a 24-hour rally will begin in the hostage square, until the evening of Sunday, January 14, 2024. The rally will take place on the 100th day since the abductees have been held captive since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War. It is intended to emphasize that any delay in advancing the deal to return the abductees endangers their lives, whose time is already borrowed.
The rally will be attended by the families of the abductees, public figures, leaders from Israel and around the world, and many Israeli artists are expected to perform, including: Omer Adam, Idan Reichel, Yasmin Muallem, Harel Sakat, Ehud Banai, Keren Peles, Neta Barzilai and more. The president, prime minister, opposition leader and members of the War Cabinet were invited to speak.
The rally of the families of the abductees, photo: Coco
In addition, the Headquarters for the Families of the Abductees has prepared a logo to accompany the television broadcasts on Sunday, January 14, 2024, covering events in support of the return of the hostages.
Marking 100 days in captivity, photo: Headquarters of the families of the abductees
The economy will sit for 100 minutes
Many government agencies and companies will stop their slavery for 100 minutes under the saying: "Stop and identify yourself." Among the entities that will go on strike: Meta, Fox Group, Clalit Health Fund, Naamat, most banks and other entities.
In addition, at 11:00 a.m., 30-second sirens will be held on Israel Railways and the Light Rail, sirens that will not interfere with or stop train traffic. They are joined by a number of El Al initiatives, which will fly its passengers on a plane with the inscription: "STAND WITH US."
In addition, marches will be held from Histadrut buildings in the cities of Nahariya, Nof HaGalil, Karmiel, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Rishon LeZion, Ashdod, Be'er Sheva and Eilat.
The universities bow their heads and call for the return of the abductees
On Sunday, the research universities will hold a series of events and rallies in support and solidarity with the families of the abductees, as part of their joining the call for the return of the abductees without further delay, quickly and peacefully.
These are the events planned on campus:
TheTechnion will open the academic year on Sunday and will hold a rally for the release of the abductees, in which representatives of the Technion administration, the student union and the families of the abductees will speak. At 11:00, the Technion will stop its work in solidarity with the plight of the abductees and their families.
Launching yellow balloons and pictures of the abductees - supporting the families of the abductees and calling for their return
Tel Aviv Universitywill hold a joint event with the ANU Museum that will last 100 minutes, and will include lectures and a tour of an exhibition on the subject of abductees. In addition, the university will hold a rally with the participation of the families of the abductees as well as a march of faculty and students from the university campus to the abductees' square.
Photos of the dead and abductees on the chairs of the Smolarash hall at Tel Aviv University, photo: AP
The Hebrew Universityof Jerusalem will hold a rally in solidarity with the families of the abductees at noon on each of its four campuses. At each of the rallies, the deans of the faculties and representatives of the families of the abductees will speak, and 12 yellow balloons will be launched, representing the hope for the quick return of the abductees to their homes and families.
In addition, a ceremony will be held in the central plazaat Ben-Gurion Universityand an updated art installation will be placed on every abductee who was released or killed. In addition, the university, in cooperation with the student union, will film a video marking 100 days in captivity. The video will show 136 students holding books with pictures of the abductees - from the "Abducted Library" exhibit. In addition, starting Sunday, January 14, 2024, all classrooms on campus will have a chair reserved for Noa Argmani, a university student who is still being held captive by Hamas.
Noa Argmani, a student at Ben-Gurion University, held captive by Hamas, photo: None
At Bar-Ilan University, a support class will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the "Garden of Returns" located in the center of the campus. Chrysanthemums and other flowers brought from southern Israel were planted in the garden, the same number of abductees currently in Gaza. Then, at 11:00 A.M., Bar-Ilan's student union will lead a march throughout the campus that will pass through displays of pictures of abductees and abductees, and will end with balloons being launched in the Garden of Return and Returnees.
At the University of Haifa, a ceremony will be held in solidarity with the families of the abductees. Students and members of the university community whose family or close friends are abducted in Gaza will speak.
The Open Universitywill hold an event with the participation of singer and songwriter Daniel Weiss, whose parents were murdered on Kibbutz Be'eri, and a lecture for students. Moreover, the Weizmann Institute of Sciencewill halt research and teaching activities for 100 minutes and will hold a support and solidarity stand. At 11:00 a.m., a march is expected to depart from the Weizmann Institute's gate, joined by members of the Weizmann Institute community.
Daniel Weiss on the ruins of the home of his parents Yehudit and Shmulik z"l, photo: Yossi Zelinger
In addition, at 11:00 A.M., Ariel Universitywill hold a ceremony in solidarity with the families of the abductees and strengthening IDF soldiers and security forces, during which 100 yellow balloons will be launched. Chen Avigdori, a lecturer at the School of Communication, whose family was abducted to Gaza and returned as part of the abductee deal, will speak.
In primary and secondary education, classes will also stop at 11:00 a.m. for 100 minutes, during which educational workshops related to the struggle for the return of abductees will be held. In addition, a kit of 100 blessings against 100 days of captivity was distributed to students of ultra-Orthodox schools in Beit Shemesh, who will participate in a unique prayer project on Sunday.
Prayer kit distributed, photo: none
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us