Merav Leshem-Gonen, mother of freed hostage Romi Gonen and a leading advocate in the campaign to free the hostages held in Gaza, said Monday that she will continue her efforts. "It will take me, us, a minute to breathe her in and to believe in the reality we were able to achieve together," she wrote in a social media post. "I promise to be back. There are 94 loved ones that need this reality to come to fruition."
In a subsequent post, she described the family’s current state as being in an "alternate universe," disconnected from the outside world. "Our world has nothing but family. I'm sorry. Give us a minute and we will pull ourselves together and be back," she wrote.
Leshem-Gonen became one of the most prominent voices for the families of hostages during the 471 days of her daughter’s captivity following her abduction from the Nova music festival during the October 7 Hamas-led massacre.
From the outset, she gave interviews to international media outlets, met with world leaders, and addressed global forums, all while steadfastly advocating for the hostages' release. She maintained a united front, describing the families of the hostages as "one big family" and refusing to separate herself from their collective struggle.
On Sunday, Leshem-Gonen was reunited with her daughter. "Where is my mother?" Romi reportedly asked upon her arrival in Israel. After their emotional embrace, the pair joined the rest of the family waiting for them at Sheba Medical Center.
Romi Gonen reunited with family
Leshem-Gonen’s advocacy began shortly after her daughter’s abduction, and she refused to be drawn into political debates. In a November 2023 interview with Al Jazeera, she rejected efforts to shift the conversation to the "occupied territories" or the siege on Gaza. "My daughter has been a captive for the past six weeks and she is wounded. I want her and all of the hostages to return," she said.
When pressed about Romi's military service and whether politics were central to the crisis, she pushed back. "Stop asking questions about the territories," she said, countering accusations that her refusal to address such issues was a lack of courage.
After receiving confirmation from a freed hostage that Romi was alive but injured and not receiving proper treatment, Leshem-Gonen described the news as both reassuring and troubling. "This is enough to give me some peace," she said, while acknowledging the ongoing challenge.
Throughout her advocacy, Leshem-Gonen emphasized unity among the hostage families. "We are one big family, and as such, we march together," she said in an interview. "I may have an easier time in interviews, but I do not have any more rights than the other families to receive information."
When hostilities resumed following the initial release of some hostages, Leshem-Gonen demanded clarity from the government regarding continued negotiations. "I am not a strategist; I am a mother," she said.
In June, Leshem-Gonen addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council, where she shared details of her daughter's abduction and their final conversation. "Trying to escape from their murderous hands, she was shot while driving in a car with three other young people," she recounted.
Merav Leshem-Gonen addresses the UN Human Rights Council
(Video: Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations in Geneva)
"As the only survivor, she was brutally dragged by her long, beautiful hair from the car, along the road. I was a witness to this reality while speaking with her on the phone, hearing her helplessness and frustration without being able to help my baby. That was 257 days ago."
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During the same address, which marked the first official UN meeting with hostage families, she criticized the international community for its inaction. "Twenty-three-year-old girls should not be taken hostage. No one should," she said.
"Mr. President, we should be on the same side—the side fighting hostage-taking, never accepting the use of young women as political tools. I hope my Romi still believes in the free world, still believes in us, and still believes that together we will end the nightmare she is in. I believe we can do more for them, we can do better for them. The hostages need us, and the world needs them. Please help me hug my daughter again."
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Merav Leshem-Gonen addresses the UN Human Rights Council
(Video: Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations in Geneva)
Leshem-Gonen’s unwavering dedication to the cause continues, even as she reunites with her daughter, reaffirming her commitment to fight for the remaining hostages still held in Gaza.