Hamas captivity survivor Omar Venkert told the youth program conference at the Jerusalem Public Diplomacy headquarters that while in the Gaza Strip, he felt "a sense of abandonment by decision-makers." According to him, "I believed in the people, that they wouldn't let this pass and would continue doing everything until we're released. When I returned, I saw there were people working minute by minute for my return, which reassured me. It saddens me that the hostages have become a political issue of right and left, it shouldn't be this way."