The march of the kidnapped families/Yair Pelati
15 thousand people are marching today (Saturday) with the families of the abductees on the last day of the "Unite for the Liberation of the Abductees" march.
The march left last Wednesday from the Gaza border, and will arrive in Jerusalem this evening.
The march will be marked by a huge rally in Paris Square in Jerusalem.
Lapid: "If they don't return home - the State of Israel has betrayed its citizens."
15 thousand people in the march of the kidnapped/official website, Yair Pelti
Survived the captivity and made it to the march, Gabriela Leimberg/Official website, headquarters of the families of the abductees
Among the thousands marching are also the POW survivors Luis Herr, Fernando Merman, Clara Merman and Gabriela Leimberg, who joined the march today.
"We were there and the danger in captivity is immediate," said Clara Marman, "the road is long and exhausting and the body and soul still ache. We will continue to march together with all the people of Israel until they are all returned."
"We were in captivity, we know that," continued Marman, who was released from Hamas captivity in the hostage deal, and her husband and brother were released by the IDF operation, "I also know from being here and fighting for their return.
We came here today to give you strength, we came here today because there is hope.
Our common demand is hope and light.
We will not give up and will continue marching with you until everyone returns.
Together with the entire people of Israel, we will bring them all back, including the murdered.
All of you now."
"The families of the abductees are not the enemy", Nadav Rudaif, son of the abductee Lior Rudaif./Official website, headquarters of the kidnapped families
The march for the return of the abducted/official website, no credit
Roni Ader, the sister of Tamir Ader, who was murdered on October 7 and his body was kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, also spoke.
Adar opened her speech by thanking the people of Israel for all their support.
"It's important that they know it's not alone," she said, "as it happened in my house, it could have happened to any other house in the country. I call on everyone to come to the rally tonight and support us."
In addition, Nadav Rudaif also spoke, whose father, Lior Rudaif, is still held captive by Hamas and his fate is unknown.
"Thank you to everyone for being here and showing us that choosing the abductees is not only in words, it is also in actions," Nadav told the marchers, "This march is so significant and the presence of the entire nation and the public is amazing. The families of the abductees are not the enemy, the enemy is the Hamas organization and extreme Islam We need to bring them all back now."
"The state cannot live with the idea that they will not return."
Lapid in the march of the kidnapped/official site, no credit
Opposition leader Yair Lapid was also present at the march.
"I am here with you and we are all here together, because this country cannot live with the idea that they will not return," Lapid told the families of the abductees, "there is no other option, if we have to shout we will shout, if we have to shout we will shout, if we have to cry we will cry, if we have to hug We will embrace, but they will return home. We will fight for it abroad, we will fight for it in Israel, our fighters are fighting for it now in Gaza."
More on the same topic:
abducted
War of Iron Swords
Gaza war
Jerusalem
Gaza Envelope