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Israeli hostage families light their first Hanukkah candles
Israel's hostage families lit the first candle on the first evening of Hanukkah and remembered their loved ones. A silent protest called on the government to act to release the 100 hostages.
Israeli hostage families light their first Hanukkah candles
In Tel Aviv, Israel, families and relatives of Israeli hostages held in Gaza lit the first candle of Hanukkah on Wednesday. This marks the start of the second holiday they will have to spend without their loved ones, according to a statement from the Forum for Hostages and Missing Families.
Silent protests for the return of the hostages
On Wednesday, thousands took part in a silent protest organized by Shift 101. The aim is to increase pressure on the government to secure the release of the hostages. “Mothers and female relatives of the hostages, supported by many supporters, held a three-hour silent protest in white clothes, demanding an immediate exchange for the return of all hostages,” the statement said.
Candle lighting in Tel Aviv
The vigil was followed by a candle lighting ceremony at Beit Ariela in Tel Aviv. “Shira Albag, mother of hostage Liri Albag, lit the first candle as participants prayed together for the return of the 100 hostages,” the forum said.
Call for hope and unity
"We will not let the light go out. We must light the first candle and begin the exchange. May each candle light the next until our light returns with the homecoming of the 100 hostages through a deal," Shay Dickmann, a cousin of hostage Carmel Gat, who was killed during captivity, said during the ceremony, according to the forum.
Negotiations on clearance and ceasefire
Top U.S., Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials have stressed progress in negotiations over the hostages and a possible ceasefire over the past week. Although officials stress that a deal is neither sealed nor guaranteed, recent optimistic statements and diplomatic activity indicate that progress could be made. Israeli negotiators returned from talks in Qatar on Tuesday for “internal consultations.”
The situation of the hostages
Hamas holds 100, according to Israeli authorities hostages in Gaza – 96 were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, and four others were kidnapped before that date. According to authorities, the hostages include 13 women and two children under the age of five.
Remembering the prisoners during Hanukkah
At least 36 of the hostages have now been confirmed dead by Israel. Israeli leaders remembered the hostages at ceremonies marking the first night of Hanukkah. “Last year during Hanukkah, I don’t think anyone thought that a hundred of our brothers and sisters would still be in the hands of Hamas terrorists,” President Isaac Herzog said Wednesday at Beit HaLochem in Tel Aviv, according to a statement from his office.
Demand for active action
"We are at a critical stage for their return," Herzog added, calling on the Israeli government to "act with all our might and use every tool at our disposal to secure a deal. That is your duty." The first candle of Hanukkah was also lit at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Wednesday as people gathered to pray for the hostages' return.
Give hope to all hostages
“Families of the hostages, we all pray that they return safe and well to Jerusalem, the Holy Land, today,” Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch of the Western Wall said in a statement.
Hanukkah with a military focus
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also commemorated Hanukkah in his office in Jerusalem on Wednesday, but emphasized a more combative tone. "Today we light the first candle of Hanukkah to mark the victory of the Maccabees of that time and the victory of the 'Maccabees of today,'" Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office, referring to a group of Jewish warriors and freedom fighters in the 2nd century B.C.E. BC related.
Fight against oppression
"As we did then - we meet the oppressors and those who thought they could cut the thread of our lives here. The Houthis will also learn what Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime, among others, have learned, and even if it takes time, this lesson will be learned throughout the Middle East," Netanyahu added in the statement, without mentioning the hostages held in Gaza.
Consequences of the military conflict
Israel began its war against Hamas in Gaza following the militant group's cross-border attacks on October 7, 2023, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and captured 250, according to Israeli authorities. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 45,000 Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip since the war began.