Ran Gvili is not yet home. We do not have closure, yet our gathering place is closing up shop. We, the people of Hostages Square, are delighted that so many of the hostages have returned. Yet we cannot rest until the last hostage is brought back home. Ran, hero of Alumim, we are waiting for you.

For over two years, I stood and spoke in Hostages Square. I spoke to groups and individual visitors. I told the stories of the hostages, especially those beautiful young people taken from the Nova dance festival. I stood in silent vigil during protests. I stood onstage every Saturday night at the weekly rallies. I marched with the hostage families. I shouted at evening protests on Begin Road, stopping traffic, shouting the names of each hostage, and counting out the days. I am still counting: 826 as of Friday. We will not stop counting until Ran Gvili comes home.

Even then, once the last hostage has been brought home, we will not rest. There is so much to do, so much wrong that must be put right. We demand a public inquiry into the debacle of October 7th. Not a political whitewash.........

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