The Foreign Ministry and the Consulate General of Israel in New York initiated and arranged the screening of clips from the video of the soldier abductions in Times Square, which was released earlier this week. The release of the video, documenting the horrifying moments of the abduction of five Israeli soldiers who served as observers on October 7, was done with the approval and consent of their families. The screening will take place on Friday morning, EST.
Ambassador Ofir Akunis, the Consul General of Israel in New York, commented on the initiative, saying, "We are screening this painful video here, in the heart of Manhattan, to expose to the residents of New York and the entire world the cruelty of the enemy we are facing. Our goal is also to remind everyone whom we are determined to bring home at any cost - Liri Elbag, Karina Ariav, Agam Berger, Daniela Gilboa, Naama Levy, and the remaining 123 hostages held by Hamas."
"Every day that passes, the pain and longing deepen. Healing this national wound is our most important mission," emphasized Ambassador Akunis. "The video is meant to shock the consciousness, if only for a moment, in the heart of the global entertainment and tourism center, and to remind everyone of the horror that struck us on that terrible day. We want everyone to understand that these are our daughters, who could easily be the sisters or daughters of anyone. We will not rest until they all return home."
The campaign aims to raise global awareness of the torment the hostages are enduring and to exert public pressure on Hamas to release them immediately. The consulate hopes that exposing these unimaginable images in such a central location will spark a wave of support for Israel's just struggle and reignite the international discussion on this painful issue.