Fern Sidman- Reporting and photography 

Thousands of demonstrators filled New York City’s iconic Times Square on Thursday evening, demanding the immediate release of 199 hostages held by Hamas. The rally comes as President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to use all available diplomatic tools to secure the freedom of American captives. Billboards in Times Square displayed the faces of those abducted by Hamas including infants and elderly individuals, while the crowd chanted in unison, “Bring them home.”

One of the heart-wrenching stories shared at the rally was that of Omer Neutra, a 22-year-old American who is among those held captive by Hamas. Omer was described as a natural leader and avid athlete who excelled in sports, captaining his school’s basketball, volleyball, and soccer teams. Omer Neutra, the grandson of Holocaust survivors, postponed his college plans to move to Israel, where he joined the Israel Defense Forces. The night before the attacks, he had a conversation with his parents, expressing his anticipation of a quiet weekend after a month of border patrol duties.

Omer’s mother, Orna Neutra, said, “We are heartbroken. We are worried. But we are focused and resolute in doing everything within our power to bring Omer back.” This sentiment echoed throughout the crowd as they came together to show solidarity with the families of those who are currently missing.

At the rally 15 billboards displayed pictures of hostages’ faces and Israeli flags.

U.S. officials have indicated that Hamas is holding around 200 people hostage following the Palestinian group’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7. This attack resulted in the tragic loss of approximately 1,400 Israeli lives with 4200 people injured.

While there is no official list of Americans in captivity, Senator Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that 13 of the hostages were American citizens. He emphasized the utmost priority of securing the release of these individuals, and this sentiment was echoed at the Times Square rally.

Though U.S. officials have not released the names of the Americans believed to be held hostage, media reports have identified several individuals with American citizenship, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 66-year-old nurse named Adrienne Neta, 35-year-old Sagui Dekel-Chen, a father of two with another child on the way, and Itay Chen, who serves in the Israel Defense Forces.

The rally in Times Square was organized by the nonprofit Israeli American Council, which represents Israeli Americans in the United States as well as the Jewish Community Relations Council.

Elan Carr, CEO of IAC, says what Hamas is doing is unacceptable.”We’re here to comfort each other. I mean, we’re in grief, and it’s so important to be together. But make no mistake, what this is really about is demonstrating unwavering support for our Israeli brothers and sisters who have suffered so much and especially, especially for the families. The families of these hostages, 200 hostages that were dragged into the hell of Hamas captivity. These families are undergoing ineffable suffering,” Carr said.

Prominent speakers at the event included New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer, who is the first Jewish Senate majority leader in history. He vowed to stand with Israel and oppose Hamas.

“In every generation, they have risen to afflict us and the evil vicious vile Hamas has done it now. But we know in every generation we fight back until we win,” Schumer told the crowd of thousands.

“We will not abandon you, we will fight with you side by side until the threat of Hamas is totally eliminated and every hostage is brought home,” he added.

Schumer also told the crowd that he met with several families whose loved ones had been taken away by the terrorists during his recent trip to Israel.

“And we vowed in that room outside of Tel-Aviv that we would do everything we can … and get our country, the United States of America, to bring them home.” He said he has sat down with Biden and discussed plans to rescue the hostages.

Also addressing the assemblage in a pre-prepared video was New York City Mayor Eric Adams who told the rally attendees that he unequivocally stands with Israel in her darkest hour and expressed his unwavering commitment to work for the release of the hostages. As with other speakers, Adams took the opportunity to excoriate the deadly massacre that Hamas committed against those Israelis living near the Gaza border on the morning of October 7^th.

Yuval David, an actor and activist with dual Israeli and American citizenship, addressed the crowd, saying, “We no longer can be the Jews trembling in the shadows. We know what happened to us then, and we know what is happening to us now.” This rally symbolized a collective call for action and unity within the Israeli American community and beyond.

Rachel Goldberg, the mother of 23-year-old hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a dual Israeli and U.S. citizen, expressed her anguish, stating that the last messages she received from her son were on the morning of October 7 when he wrote, “I love you guys. I’m sorry.” She shared that police had confirmed the last signal from her son’s phone showed it in Gaza that morning.

On Wednesday morning, a “Free the Hostages” rally was held by the United Nations, with families of hostages kidnapped by Hamas pleading that their loved ones not be forgotten.

The situation in the Middle East has led to protests on behalf of both Israel and the Palestinian people across the United States. These protests highlight the deep-rooted divisions reemerging due to the decades-long conflict in the region.

In New York City, a pro-Palestinian rally was planned for Friday outside the main branch of the public library to call for a ceasefire, while in Washington, D.C., hundreds of protesters demanding a ceasefire were arrested while occupying the rotunda of the Cannon House office building at the U.S. Capitol.

President Joe Biden’s recent visit to Israel reaffirmed his support for the country and his appeal to its leaders to avoid a humanitarian disaster as they contemplate a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip. However, the path to securing the release of the hostages may require delicate negotiations with countries in the region, such as Qatar, which have no diplomatic ties with Israel.

The rally held in Times Square was a poignant reminder of the human toll of conflicts in the Middle East and the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to secure the release of those held captive by Hamas. The families of the missing individuals, along with their supporters, stand united in their call for their safe return.