A new initiative by Israeli NGOs Breaking Walls and WhatIsYettoCome is working to collect information on hostages taken into Gaza that will be put on posters calling for their release in order to raise awareness of their situation and stories. Among them are Aisha Ziadna, Wichai Kalfet and Jimmy Gelienor Pacheco.
More stories:
"We’re often on the streets, returning to Rabin Square in Tel Aviv and to the families of the hostages, trying to learn the faces and names of everyone appearing on the posters," said Breaking Walls activist Neta Hamami Tabib. "During the tours we had and conversations with other activists and partners, the gaps emerged, and we learned about those captives whose details aren’t found in the system, and whose stories aren’t heard."
Information on the hostages is gathered from official statements of foreign countries and international media reports. Initially, activists concentrated on compiling names, photos, and ages of the abducted, and are now endeavoring to reveal their complete stories. "There are individuals whose stories are crucial to tell, yet they have no one fighting for them in Israel," Hamami Tabib noted.
So far, the project has successfully printed posters for 25 hostages that were absent until now, mainly in central areas of Israel where exposure to these posters is high. "These are always the same populations that receive less attention, whose place in society is pushed to the sidelines. Through this project, we emphasize our intention to create a reality based on values of equality and justice," she added.
"We’ve been aware of this ongoing neglect in Israel personally; some of us grew up in the country’s south or have families close to the Gaza border. It’s outrageous that the government isn’t addressing this issue, so we decided to take action ourselves, to cry out for those whose voices aren’t heard. We no longer expect the government to function, but we aspire to take public action," she said.
In addition to the names added as the war against Hamas continues, the project also printed posters featuring the images of Israeli captives Avera Mengistu, Hisham a-Sayed and Jumaa Abu Ghanima, who have been held in the Gaza Strip for years.
First published: 13:52, 11.15.23