Today’s suggested actions to support Israel in your local community:

  • Join CIJA, and Canada’s Jewish Federations Monday, December 4 at 1:30 pm ET on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to unite and rally for the hostages, the people of Israel and the safety of Jewish Canadians.
  • Share these stories of hostages still being held in captivity on social media.
  • Thank your elected officials who have publicly expressed support for Israel and condemnation of Hamas. Last night, the House voted unanimously for a resolution condemning Hamas and calling for the release of all hostages, and nearly unanimously for a resolution affirming Israel’s right to exist.
  • Watch and share this video message of Liora Argamani, mother of 26-year-old Noa Argamani, a student of computer science at Ben Gurion University, who was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Supernova music festival. Liora, who is being treated for brain cancer, shared, “I don’t know how long I have left…Please know that I love you very much. Please know we did everything we could to get you released.”

Issue:
While hospitals report that the freed hostages are generally in “good physical shape,” reports are beginning to emerge of the harsh conditions imposed on them. The deep psychological effects are only beginning to be understood. Almost all the hostages still have immediate family members being held in Gaza or have come out to discover that loved ones were murdered on October 7th. Below are stories of some of the hostages that are still being held in captivity, 53 days on:

Background:

  • Thirteen-year-old Gali Tarshansky is a dog lover. Her 15-year-old brother Lior was murdered by Hamas terrorists, as she and her father jumped from the window of the safe room in their Kibbutz Be’eri home. She also loves to cook and bake. Her dog Mocha was shot dead by terrorists during the massacre of the Kibbutz.
  • Oded Lifshitz is a peace activist and career journalist. The 83-year-old learned Arabic and would drive Gazans to Israeli hospitals for medical care, showing great care for them and concern over their well-being. Oded was abducted together with his wife Yocheved while their house was being burnt to the ground. His wife was released from Gaza last month, after what she described as going through “hell” and even receiving a visit in the tunnel from Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. Since returning from captivity, she has been joining protests to bring her husband back home.
  • Four members of the Ziyadne family – siblings Bilal, Aisha and Hamza together with their father Youssef – were abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, when they were working in the fields outside their home in the Bedouin community of Rahat. Youssef’s brother Ali said, “It’s the most difficult situation they can possibly imagine” and “we are hoping that this torture will end.”
  • Ten-month-old Kfir Bibas is a smiley baby who loves to play with his 4-year-old brother Kfir. The two redheads were abducted by Hamas terrorists along with their mother Shiri. Their father Yarden was seen in a video, injured with blood around his head, surrounded by terrorists. Shira is described as “a delicate mother” and Yarden as “a big teddy bear.” The two are devoted parents who dreamed of building a home in northern Israel. The family is believed to have been transferred by Hamas to another terrorist group. As part of its ongoing psychological warfare, Hamas issued a statement earlier today that Shiri and her two boys were killed by IDF fire, a cruel claim that the military is investigating.
  • Berkeley-born 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg Polin was taking refuge in a bomb shelter with fellow partygoers at the Supernova music festival when Hamas terrorists hurled a grenade into the room, seriously injuring him and killing others. Hersh was filmed being violently dragged into a pickup truck, part of his arm blown off and his body covered in blood, as Hamas terrorists yelled “load them, load them.” At the March for Israel in Washington DC, Hersh’s mother Rachel condemned those who have remained indifferent to the hostage crisis and asked, “Why are they being left underground in the dirt?”
  • Despite stipulations made in a deal signed by Hamas and Israel, the former continues to deny the remaining hostages visits from the Red Cross and access to their medications.

 

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war against Hamas. The Community Mobilization Center will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. The work of the Community Mobilization Center will continue as long as it takes Israel to eradicate the terrorist threat and restore security to the country.