Protestors Call for Return of Hostages on Grim Anniversary of Hamas Terrorist Attack on Israel

On October 7, 2023 terrorist organizations, led by Hamas, launched a massive rocket barrage breaching Israeli defenses allowing the infiltration of 3,000 terrorists who proceeded to murder more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Some were raped and others mutilated. Two hundred and fifty-one were kidnapped. As of the end August of this year 117 were released alive and returned to Israel. Some have been rescued. Approximately 100 remain hostage including a baby who was only nine months old when snatched, a young 24 year old woman and a 79 year old grandfather. The hope is that they are still alive. There have been 70 confirmed dead. More than half of the hostages have passports from 25 different countries, including six Americans still believed to be alive. A complete account of this atrocity will be written at another time.

The story here is of one response that is taking place weekly in the downtown area.

Every Saturday afternoon since Nov. 4, 2023, a group has walked in support of releasing the hostages, with the added purpose to remind the public of their plight so that they will not be forgotten. I have been walking with the group since December with this same purpose. Organized by local synagogues in the Union Square vicinity, the walk begins with expression of gratitude to those who were able to come, a reminder of the solemnity of the walk, and to not engage with any negative comments from passersby. In the presence of and assistance from the NYPD, an average of about 30 people walk down 5th Avenue to Washington Square Park, then up to Union Square. The walks take place regardless of the weather, with the participants focused on reuniting the hostages with their families. Posters held by the walkers display the photographs, names, and ages of the captives. That they were kidnapped by Hamas, torn from their families, and ask for help to bring them home alive. Elyakim Libman, 24 years old, Liri Albag,18 years old, Chaim Peri, 79 years old, Kfir Bibas, 9 months old, Gadi Moses 79 years old, and Avinantan Or, 30 years old, are some of the hostages. Some posters mention that 8,500 people ranging from 3 months to 85 years old were violently assaulted. The reactions of onlookers have mostly been positive and supportive.

The walk ends, usually with a Rabbi, mentioning any salient events relevant to the hostages. “Acheinu,” “our brothers” a prayer calling for the release of captives is sung, as is “Hatikvah” the Israeli national anthem, which means “The Hope.” After a year of captivity there is still hope among those walking that the hostages will be freed and determination to help achieve this end.

Said writer and painter Richard McBee, who was on the latest march on Oct. 6: “As I marched through Washington Square Park filled with New Yorkers enjoying a beautiful October Saturday afternoon; boisterous, relaxed, peaceful and free, I couldn’t fathom that a hundred hostages, Jews and some non-Jews, at gunpoint in tunnels and makeshift cells were still imprisoned in Gaza a year later. Feeling totally unable to help them, the little I could do was to make sure the hundreds of New Yorkers who saw me; the signs that said KIDNAPPED and a name and a picture, would not forget the crime of Hamas against fellow human beings.”

This is from Richard McBee, a writer and painter, who lives in the area. I asked him what he thought today about the hostages being held for over a year.