Families of Israel hostages mark 2nd Jewish new year without loved ones

For the second Rosh Hashanah holiday in a row, Israeli families marked the Jewish New Year with an empty seat at the table, their loved ones still held captive by the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

Talik and Itzik, parents of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili, reflected on the ongoing crisis of having their son held in Gaza after nearly two years of war.

The Gvili family endures the double trauma of not knowing whether Ran is alive or dead. In January 2024, it was reported that their 24-year-old son, an Israeli Police counterterrorism officer, had been killed in battle at Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023, with Hamas allegedly taking his body into Gaza.

“When everyone celebrates, we face our hardest hours,” they said. “We’re a big family on both sides,” Talik said. “Our home was always open; everyone felt welcome. Since October 7, we decided to keep living because Ran would want that. He was vibrant, a dancer who loved parties. Now there’s a huge void. Every day is tough but filled with hope,” she added.

“Ran was the most sensitive soul – tough and strong, yet gentle. His absence is felt every moment,” his father Itzik said. Despite the risks, he supports Israeli military operations against Hamas as crucial to retrieve their son and the remaining hostages.

“We don’t think Hamas will negotiate. They’re inhuman,” he said.

“Maybe this operation will push them to raise a white flag,” Talik said. “Hostages could be harmed in any scenario, even without a maneuver. Their only leverage is the hostages. It’s a brutal situation.”

The Gvili family continues to cling to hope that their son is still alive in Hamas captivity.

“We can’t accept the report that Ran isn’t alive. We hope it’s a mistake. The odds aren’t in our favor, but we still hope he’ll return,” Talik said. She stressed that the family has only one wish for the new year: “That he’s alive. That he returns and laughs with us about this horrific time.”

Anat and Chagai Angrest, the parents of the hostage Matan Angrest, described the immense challenge of continuing their lives nearly two years after the trauma of October 7.

“We have no holiday. No dates for happiness. When others celebrate, we’re at our lowest. People ask where we’ll be for the holiday, and it just highlights how much Matan is missing. Last year, we were in the square, wandering the streets. That black Saturday, Matan defended the country; since then, he’s been defending the government.”

In April, the Angrest family published a video showing the brutal Hamas kidnapping and torture of their son Matan on the day of the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion and attack in southern Israel.

“We’re stuck on October 7,” Chagai said. Their only wish this holiday is “that Matan and the other hostages return as soon as possible, ideally before Rosh Hashanah. Without them, we have no new year. May Matan not lose hope, knowing this is what the people want, giving him strength.”

Israeli hostage Bar Kupershtein, who worked as a security guard at the Nova Music Festival and helped rescue and care for victims on Oct. 7, was filmed on the day of his abduction, bound by Hamas terrorists.

His father, Tal, had lost the ability to speak after a serious car accident several years ago. He miraculously regained his ability to speak and dreams about the day that he will meet his son again.

“He hasn’t heard me speak yet. It’s important he knows I’m talking,” Tal said. “The first thing I’ll do is hug him. I’ll walk to him on my own legs.”