600 days in the dark: Social media campaign highlights grim hostage landmark
Board of Deputies leads communal call for solidarity with the 58 hostages, dead and alive, still in Gaza
A social media campaign to mark 600 days since 7 October 2023, when 251 hostages were dragged into Gaza by Hamas terrorists, has been launched today by the Board of Deputies.
With 58 hostages remaining in captivity, the communal group is calling on all Jewish organisations, individuals, and allies to show their support by changing the picture on their social media profiles.
The 58 hostages in Gaza are: Alon Ohel, Ariel Cunio, Avinatan Or, Bar Kupershtein, Bipin Joshi, David Cunio, Eitan Horn, Eitan Mor, Elkana Bohbot, Evyatar David, Gali Berman, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, Matan Angrest, Matan Zangauker, Maksym Harkin, Nattapong Pinta, Nimrod Cohen, Omri Miran, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Tamir Nimrodi, Yosef-Chaim Ohana, Ziv Berman, Amiram Cooper, Arye Zalmanovich, Assaf Hamami, Aviv Atzili, Daniel Oz, Daniel Peretz, Dror Or, Eitan Levy, Eliyahu Margalit, Gad Haggai, Guy Illouz, Idan Shtivi, Ilan Weiss, Inbar Hayman, Itay Chen, Joshua Loitu Mollel, Judi Weinstein, Lior Rudaeff, Many Godard, Muhammad Al-Atarash, Ofra Keidar, Omer Neutra, Ran Gvili, Ronen Engel, Sahar Baruch, Shay Levinson, Sonthaya Oakkharasri, Sudthisak Rinthalak, Tal Haimi, Tamir Adar, Uriel Baruch, Yair Yaakov, Yonatan Samerano, Yossi Sharabi ad Hadar Goldin.
Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said: “The hostages, taken in such brutal circumstances on 7th October 2023 have now experienced 600 days of agony in awful conditions at the mercy of Hamas. We must remember their plight and ensure that their stories stay in the public consciousness. To change your social media profile costs nothing and takes next to no time but if enough of us do it, we can make a significant impact. Please join us.”
Nivi Feldman, UK Lead, Hostages and Missing Families Forum, told Jewish News: “It has been 600 long days and nights since the terrorist organisation Hamas kidnapped over 241 babies, children, men and women. Today, 58 are still held hostage. Don’t let them be forgotten. Don’t let the world forget that when they were taken, a piece of all of us was taken. Until every one of them is brought home, we cannot — and will not — stop advocating for their return.”
The initiative is a collaboration between the Board of Deputies, Hostages and Missing Families Forum UK, British Hostage Families and Yellow Ribbon Campaign.
A dedicated webpage has been created to highlight the names of the 58 hostages still in captivity and provides a logo for the community to download.
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