Jewish New Yorkers and allies rally in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza at the 100 Days in Captivity Demonstration calling for the release of the Hamas hostages.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
A coalition of Jewish organizations and their allies rallied in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in Midtown Manhattan on Friday for a “100 Days in Captivity” demonstration calling for the release of the around 130 hostages still held in captivity in the Gaza Strip.
Some 240 Israelis and foreign nationals were seized by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel that also claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people. Nearly half of the hostages were either previously released or died while in captivity.
Holding up signs and posters with the images of the hostages, the crowd broke out in “Bring them Home” chants as family members of the hostages and Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer addressed the few hundred demonstrators.
Referring to the numerous pro-Palestinian protests that have occurred since the Oct. 7 attacks, Hochul publicly asked why more people weren’t as outraged over the suffering of the hostages and their families.
“The way this has been covered is as if it doesn’t matter, that they’re not human beings who deserve our love and compassion and daily focus on what is happening over there,” Hochul said.
Hochul, who visited Israel shortly after the attacks, shared the aftermath she witnessed firsthand.
“There’s a part of me that wants to describe the horrific smells and the sights and the rooms where the young women were mutilated and murdered,” Hochul said. “But there’s another part of me that wants to spare you from that.”
Hochul reminded everyone that Hamas was a terrorist organization that needed to be stopped.
“If we don’t stop them,” Hochul said, “they will continue their scourge to destroy the Jewish people and others.”
Senator Chuck Schumer expressed that the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 were a reminder…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply