At a meeting with survivors and relatives of the Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October, a senior member of the Archdiocese of New York’s leadership listened intently to their descriptions of hostages who remain in Hamas hands and urged the group “to keep speaking.”
“You are here for the love of your family and friends. You need to keep speaking,” he said. “Don’t stop. Don’t give up. Don’t give up on the love. Don’t give up on your loved ones.” The meeting on 13th December was held at the headquarters of the American Jewish Committee. About 30 family members and friends of hostages, representing the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, pleaded for assistance in getting their relatives back.
A total of 240 hostages were taken back to an unknown location or locations in Gaza on 7th and 8th October, including citizens of Israel, the United States and other nationals. During a truce in late November, 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity. Three hostages were mistakenly killed by the Israeli Defense Forces on 15th December; the bodies of five hostages were recovered from a Hamas tunnel underneath Gaza. About 130 hostages remain in Gaza.
On 7th December, New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan and Brooklyn Bishop Robert J. Brennan were part of another interfaith group that listened to other survivors’ accounts of Hamas’ attacks.
Picture: New York Auxiliary Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, back centre, meets on 13th December 2023 with members of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents those working for the release of hostages held by Hamas since the militant group’s attack on Israel. (OSV News photo/Steven Schwankert, The Good Newsroom)