Tens of Thousands Rally in J’Lem to Mark Six Months Since Hamas Massacre

(JNS) – At least 50,000 people descended on the government campus in Jerusalem’s Givat Ram neighborhood on Sunday night for a rally to mark half a year since Hamas terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and kidnapped 253 others in southern Israel, according to organizers.

The father of Israeli captive Rom Braslavski told JNS at the rally that his family “can’t suffer like this anymore,” and urged the government to do whatever is necessary to free the 133 remaining hostages held in Gaza.

“It’s been half a year that he is there. I hope that people will wake up and that everyone will come home. We can’t suffer like this anymore, we don’t have the strength. We really hope even the bodies, the young and the elderly, everyone together will return,” Ofir Braslavski said.

“I have not heard from my son since then, I didn’t think we would be in this situation [after six months]. I keep waiting another day, another night, another Shabbat,” he continued.

“[Rom] just went to work, he didn’t hurt anyone, he is not interested in politics. On the contrary, he helped people in Gaza and we hope he will return.

“It’s more important than everything else,” said Ofir.

In a show of solidarity, dozens of rallies will also be taking place in major cities across the globe, including New York, Washington, Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris.

“Enough is enough. The world has to understand that we cannot legitimize terror,” Efrat Machikawa told JNS. Her aunt Margalit Moses, 78, was freed in November while her uncle Gadi Moses, 80, remains in captivity.

“There are 133 worlds behind the names and numbers, innocent people taken away from their beds. This wound won’t heal unless they are all returned home where they belong,” Machikawa added.