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Will the hostilities bring our hostages back?

"Don’t Forget Them": Freed Hostages Plead for 59 Still Trapped as Gaza Fighting Resumes

These pleas signal a growing dread: that the war’s return could seal a grim fate for those still in Gaza’s shadows.

Shira Albag, mother of hostage Liri Albag speaks during a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at "Hostage Square" in Tel Aviv, January 11, 2025.
Liri Albag's emotional post
Liri Albag's emotional post

As Israeli strikes pounded Gaza overnight, reigniting a war many hoped was winding down, freed hostages unleashed a torrent of anguish online, begging the world not to abandon the 59 still held by Hamas. From shattered hearts to cries of guilt, their words—posted Tuesday morning—paint a raw, desperate picture of solidarity and fear.

Karina Ariev, an IDF observer who survived captivity, wrote: “The cries of my brothers still trapped in hell echo in my ears. Please, don’t forget them.” Minutes later, Liri Albag, freed in a prior deal, vented her fury: “Once again, those left behind are forgotten; their lives turned into pawns. This isn’t a game!!!!”

Karina Ariev on the renewed fighting in Gaza
Karina Ariev on the renewed fighting in Gaza

The outpouring didn’t stop there. Emily Damari, released in the first hostage swap and a close friend of Gali and Zivi Berman—abducted from Kibbutz Gaza—shared an Instagram story: “My heart is broken, shattered, and disappointed. Gali, Zivi, and all the hostages, we’ll fight tirelessly to bring you back.” Eliya Cohen, another survivor, posted a gut-wrenching apology to friends Elkana Bohbot and Alon Ohel: “A death sentence. Forgive me, my brothers.”

The renewed fighting—sparked Monday night after stalled hostage talks—has families and survivors on edge. Albag, who knew some of the 59 still captive, raged: “I don’t know how long they’ll hold on! I heard their voices, saw their eyes—I know what it means to be left behind. We can’t move on while they rot in that hell.” Ariev, waking to “helplessness, fear, and pain,” begged for prayers, haunted by “the terrified, helpless looks” of those still trapped.

The Hostage Families Forum echoed the alarm, urging Israelis to join a march on Jerusalem: “Emergency—they’re killing the hostages! Military pressure will end the living and erase the fallen. Nothing’s more urgent!”

Channel 12 contributed to this article.
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