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Hundreds Rally in Central Park to Demand the Release of Remaining Gaza Hostages
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Manhattan’s Central Park on Sunday in one of the largest rallies yet demanding the release of all remaining hostages still held in Gaza. The New York Post reported that former hostage Ilana Gritzewsky, who was freed after 55 days in captivity, delivered an emotional plea to the crowd, urging Israel, the United States, and all involved negotiators to continue pushing for a cease-fire deal that would bring the captives home. Among those still in captivity is her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, who has now spent over 506 days as a prisoner of Hamas.
🇺🇸 🇮🇱 Hundreds in Central Park in New York on Sunday came and showed their support for the remaining hostages who’s still being held in Gaza.
Never stop praying for them. 🎗️ pic.twitter.com/NqK4CHk7EX
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) February 24, 2025
Gritzewsky recounted the nightmare she endured when Hamas terrorists stormed into her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the early hours of October 7, 2023. “Within minutes, terror was upon us,” she told the crowd, vividly recalling the horror of being abducted alongside Zangauker, the NYP reported. Though she has physically returned home, she described the psychological toll of captivity, saying, “Understand my body may have returned, but the deepest part with me is still there. The world does not understand the magnitude of this trauma, with the kidnapped clinging to our emotional torment.” As she and other speakers led chants of “Bring them home!” and “You are not alone!” the crowd erupted in support, echoing their desperate call for action.
The NYP report highlighted that the rally also featured the grieving parents of slain hostage Omer Neutra, a New York native from Plainview, Long Island. Orna and Ronen Neutra expressed gratitude to both the Biden and Trump administrations for securing the existing cease-fire deal but stressed that the truce must continue so their son’s remains can be returned for a proper burial. “We lost our hope to see Omer alive,” one of his parents lamented, adding, “But Omer deserves a dignified burial, and we deserve a place to mourn. Bring them home now.”
Day 506 💔🎗
“Our hope is not yet lost,
It is two thousand years old,
To be a free people in our land
The land of Zion and Jerusalem”NYC’s rally for the hostages—may it be the last one.#LetThemGo & #BringThemHome pic.twitter.com/0HtqIcL0Nd
— Moshe Emilio Lavi (@MosheELavi) February 23, 2025
At least 36 hostages are now believed to be dead, with negotiations for the release of their remains forming the final phase of the already fragile cease-fire agreement. However, the NYP report indicated that talks for the next stage—securing the release of all living hostages—have stalled after Israel suspended the release of Palestinian prisoners over the weekend. The Jewish state accused Hamas of violating the terms of the deal when it returned the body of an unidentified Gazan woman instead of the remains of Israeli mother Shiri Bibas. Bibas’s body was ultimately returned by Friday night, but the diplomatic rift deepened, putting the future of hostage negotiations in jeopardy.
Speaking at the rally, U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY) condemned the ongoing captivity of Israeli hostages and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the horrors of October 7 are never repeated. “These past weeks of this, especially these past few days, have been unbearable,” he said, according to the NYP report. “I will always stand up here, not only in hoping but fighting for a world where the hostages are brought home and where Oct. 7 can never be repeated.”
Meanwhile, Jacob Lew, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, emphasized that any future negotiations must ensure a Gaza free from Hamas’s control. As the NYP report noted, Lew emphasized the need for long-term security, stating, “The people of Israel deserve security.”
The rally in Central Park is just one of many that have taken place over the past several months as families of hostages, survivors of the October 7 attack, and supporters continue to demand justice and immediate action. The NYP report pointed out that while Israel remains determined to bring back those still in captivity, the diplomatic hurdles remain formidable, with Hamas’s repeated violations complicating the fragile negotiations. As the international community watches closely, demonstrators at Sunday’s rally made one message clear: time is running out for the hostages, and the world must not stay silent.
