On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a Passover video message, emphasizing the plight of the hostage being held by the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza and fallen IDF soldiers.
“My brothers and sisters, Citizens of Israel,” Netanyahu began. “On Seder night, we all gather with our loved ones, and we all tell the story of our people who went out from slavery to freedom. But on this holiday for many families there will be empty chairs: The chairs of their loved ones, the hostages, who are still being held by Hamas, chairs for those who fell heroically on the battlefield, and chairs for our loved ones who have been wounded and who are fighting to return to their lives, in the rehabilitation wards.
Netanyahu then referred to Chief Sergeant Elkana Wiesel, 35, from Bnei Dekalim, and class commander in the 8208th Battalion, 261st Brigade, who tragically lost his life in the building collapse in Gaza on the 22nd of January 2024. Wiesel, a rabbi, left behind his wife Galit, four children, parents, and seven siblings. Despite being wounded in Operation Protective Edge, Elkana chose to continue serving on the front lines in Gaza.
In a letter before his deployment, Elkana urged his family not to negotiate with terrorists for his release if captured. He encouraged them to celebrate his life, emphasizing the importance of optimism and choosing a life of love, hope, purity, and optimism.
“But from this emptiness, rises the clear voice of our fallen heroes, like the final message of Elkana Wiesel, of blessed memory, who wrote to his family: ‘Don’t be sad when you part from me. Sing and support each other because this is the generation of redemption.’
“Indeed, ours is the generation of redemption, the generation of victory,” the prime minister continued. “Together we will return our hostages. Together we will defeat our enemies. Together we will embrace our wounded and together we will bow our heads in memory of our fallen.
“On October 7, there were those who believed that we would drown in the sea in the face of the enemy’s armies. But not only did we not drown, we rose as one and with a strong hand and an outstretched arm we broke the axis of evil.
Netanyahu paraphrased the “Vehi She’amda” (It Is This That Has Sustained [us])’prayer from the Passover seder that deals with saving the people of Israel by God, from all our enemies that have sworn to destroy the Jews throughout history.
“The entire world looks with wonder upon our ancient people, who time and again overcome those who seek to destroy us. In every generation, they rise against us – and G-d and the spirit of our fighters save us from them.
“Greetings on this Festival of Freedom. A kosher Passover to the entire Jewish People.”
Palestinian civilians and Hamas terrorists kidnapped 251 hostages including children, women, and elderly people from Israel on Oct. 7th after murdering. 59 are still in captivity in Gaza, though Hamas has not said how many are still alive. Despite maintaining dialogue with Hamas, the International Red Cross refuses to demand that Hamas allow them to render aid to the Israeli hostages.
In January, Israel released around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners, most serving life sentences for committing acts of murder and terrorism. In return, Hamas released 25 hostages and the bodies of eight who Hamas had murdered in captivity.
Saturday will mark the second Passover holiday these hostages will spend in captivity.
