The October 7 massacre resulted in 1,200 deaths and 240 hostages being held in Gaza; 136 remain in captivity. Sunday, January 14, nationwide solidarity rallies were held to mark 100 days since the massacre. Hundreds of employees from Rambam Healthcare Campus (Rambam) in Haifa, Israel, gathered to express their solidarity.
Rambam employees and visitors during the solidarity rally. Photography: Rambam HCC
Dr. Irit Meretyk, head of Rambam’s Emergency Psychiatry Service in the Division of Psychiatry, opened the event and spoke of the hostages, their time in captivity, and its psychological implications. She said, “These 100 days are the longest days of our time. One hundred thirty-six hostages, men and women, young and old, of various ethnicities and cultures, remain in captivity and are living in subhuman conditions. Their lives are a nightmare. The accounts we’ve heard from captives released by Hamas are chilling. We mustn’t forget the hostages still being held; we must continue to shout and cry out in support of their plight. We must not get used to seeing their faces on a poster; we must not give up on them.
Professor Michael Halberthal, Rambam’s director general, added: “The hostage being held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas are in the hands of murderers – separated from their families and without a life. These past 100 days have been a living hell for them. The State of Israel does not abandon its children, its sons and daughters. We call for a renewal of negotiations to ensure their return. Surrender is not an option; we must do our utmost to bring them home. The entire Rambam family prays for their well-being, and we anxiously await their return and reuniting with their families.”
Unable to fight her tears, Zohar Koval, a survivor of the massacre, formerly an emergency room nurse at Barzilai Medical Center in Southern Israel, and now working at Rambam, shared her experience. She is grateful to have survived and is thankful for the support and warm embrace she receives from her fellow Rambam colleagues.
Zohar Koval speaking with (L) Gila Hyams, director of Nursingand (R) Professor Michael Halberthal standing by her side.
In a touching moment, Lorian Salman, a fifth-grader from Haifa and origami hobbyist, made a paper flower, which was presented to the grandfather of 22-year-old Alon Ohel, a hostage and talented musician.
The event concluded with the attendees singing the Israeli national anthem, HaTikvah (The Hope). Quietly dispersing, the crowd paid silent tribute and expressed solidarity with the hostages as many wiped tears from their eyes.
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