Israel says at least 242 people have been taken hostage by Hamas militants who attacked the Gaza Strip a month ago. It was one of the deadliest attacks ever on Israel, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel launched air, ground, and naval attacks on Hamas targets. The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel’s attacks have so far killed about 9,500 people, mostly civilians.
On that fateful day, Asher decided to stay home alone in Tel Aviv, while his wife Doron and daughters Raz and Aviv decided to visit his mother Efrat at Nir Oz Kibbutz. The community near the Gaza border, home to about 400 residents, was badly hit by a Hamas attack on October 7.
A spokesman for the kibbutz said more than 20 people were killed and at least 75 people were taken hostage by Nir Oz. After news of the attack broke, Asher watched video footage of his family being driven into the back of a pickup truck by militants. Ifrat was seen alive in the video, but the Israeli army announced her death shortly after.
Still, Asher remains optimistic that his wife and children, who are dual German-Israeli citizens, are alive.
We want peace…
Asher is a real estate businessman, but since October 7, he has given up all his work and is just trying to do everything possible to bring his family back. During a meeting organized by the Forum of Hostages and Missing Families in Tel Aviv, he said he had given “about 300 interviews” to the press. He said, “Today is still October 7 for me. I couldn’t get past that…”
Time has stopped for me…
The release of the hostages has become a key Israeli war objective and a top concern for the country’s angry and traumatized population, as the military continues its bombardment of Gaza. Hamas has repeatedly said that hostages were killed in Israeli attacks on the area, but these claims have been impossible to confirm. Asher said, “As parents, we are already scared… When a child jumps on their bed, the parents’ lives are put on hold. Now, surrounded by their children, there are bombings everywhere. Imagine. That’s what’s happening.” “We want peace, we don’t want any civilian to be harmed,” he said.
According to Zaka, an NGO that helped collect bodies after the attack, more than 100 Biri residents died on 7 October. Like other relatives, Ben Amin said he is “focused on repatriating” the hostages and continues to give media interviews to raise awareness of the issue. His mother Raz needs treatment for a brain and spinal cord tumor and has difficulty walking, he said.
There are currently many families in Israel awaiting their arrival. More than 100 hostages are still reported to be in Hamas custody. The United States is flying surveillance drones over Gaza in search of hostages held by Hamas after the Palestinian group attacked Israel on October 7, US officials said Thursday.
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