(Tel Aviv) One year after the October 7 massacre, 97 Israelis are still held in Gaza. For the families of the hostages who demonstrate every week in Tel Aviv, each day that passes takes them further away from their loved ones.
“We jump out the window, we go and hide in the bushes. » This is the last message Hadas Jaoui-Kalderon received from her ex-husband, Ofer Kalderon, 53 years old.
On October 7, this Franco-Israeli and his two children, Sahar, 16, and Erez, 12, were spending Shabbat with family, in their house on Kibbutz Nir Oz, three kilometers from the Gaza Strip, when the unthinkable happened: all three were taken hostage.
PHOTO HUGO LAUTISSIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Yifat Kalderon’s life ended on October 7, 2023. Since then, she has dedicated all her time to actions aimed at the release of her cousin Ofer Kalderon.
After a month and a half in captivity, Sahar and Erez were released under a ceasefire agreement. Their father is still detained in Gaza. “We have been fighting for their release since the first day and we are not going to stop there,” coldly explains Yifat Kalderon, Ofer’s cousin.
Sitting on a bench on the sidelines of a demonstration for the release of hostages which is about to begin in Tel Aviv, her features are drawn, those of someone who has not slept for too long. Next to her, a megaphone and a poster of Ofer, which she never takes off. It reads: “My life is in the hands of the Israeli government. If they don’t sign an agreement, they’re signing my death warrant. »
“Before all that, I was a designer. Professionally, I haven’t done anything this year, but I feel like I’ve never worked so much,” explains Yifat, before receiving a hug from a demonstrator passing by on a bike. “Don’t give up! », says the woman before starting to pedal again towards a stand preparing banners.
That’s what keeps us here. We have become a real family, not only the relatives of the hostages, but also all those who come to support the movement.
Yifat Kalderon, cousin of Ofer Kalderon, detained in Gaza
PHOTO HUGO LAUTISSIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Every Saturday since October 7, 2023, tens of thousands of people have gathered in Tel Aviv to demand the dismissal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the release of the hostages.
Every Saturday since October 7, after the end of the Sabbath, tens of thousands of people meet on “hostage square”, not far from the army headquarters, to demand their release. The participants then converged on Kaplan Boulevard, the epicenter of the protests against the Netanyahu government.
During the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, 251 people were kidnapped in Israel and taken to Gaza, 97 are still held there, among whom 33 were declared dead by the army. On the night of 1er September, the death of six young hostages in Gaza, killed at point blank range by Hamas while the Israeli army was preparing to intervene, gave new vigor to the protest movement. For the victims’ families and protesters, this is further proof that the Netanyahu government is not doing what is necessary to secure an agreement with Hamas.
PHOTO HUGO LAUTISSIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
An activist demands the return of hostages during a demonstration in Tel Aviv.
These six hostages died because the IDF was preparing to raid the tunnel where they were being held. They would not have died without their intervention. When the army intervenes, lifeless bodies come out of Gaza. Each day that passes reduces our chances of seeing our loved ones alive.
Omri Lifshitz, son of a Hamas hostage
Both of his parents were kidnapped in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. His mother Yoshevad Lifshitz, 84, was released a few weeks later while his father, Oded, is always retained. Ironically, both spouses had spent their lives campaigning for Palestinian rights. On his sign, Omri crossed out his father’s age, 83, and added “84” in marker.
PHOTO HUGO LAUTISSIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Zahiro Shahar Mor reads a speech in front of an audience of journalists. His uncle, Avraham Munder, 79, died while in detention in Gaza.
“Netanyahu is carrying out a sabotage action, he is choosing regional escalation and the sacrifice of hostages to ensure his political survival. He gives Yahya Sinouar [le chef du Hamas] exactly what he wants: a regional war on all fronts. The hostages will be those who will pay the price of this policy,” adds Zahiro Shahar Mor. His uncle, Avraham Munder, 79, died while in detention in Gaza. His body was recovered by the Israeli Defense Forces from a tunnel in Khan Yunis at the end of August.
“Do whatever you can, I don’t want to die here”
How to find the strength to demonstrate, one year after October 7? “For the moment, we have obtained nothing,” recognizes Omri Lifshitz. There are days when we say to ourselves: what’s the point? But what else can we do? We must continue to put pressure on this government until the end. »
Yifat Kalderon found a good reason to continue her fight. In the days leading up to her release, Sahar Kalderon was moved to the same tunnel as her father, Ofer. Before he left, he told her: “Go out into the streets, do whatever you can, I don’t want to die here.” I want to go home. » The next day, when their jailers had given them permission to watch television, Ofer and Sahar saw Yifat, his famous sign and his megaphone in his hand. Ofer started crying with joy. This is the last proof of life that Yifat obtained from his cousin. It was November 2023.
“I was so happy to hear that he had seen me, that he knew we were there. How can you not continue fighting after this? »