Survivors of Hamas hostages will participate in a march on 5th Avenue this Sunday during New York’s annual Israel Day Parade, continuing their efforts to secure the release of the remaining 58 captives.
Keith and Aviva Siegel, Doron Steinblacher, Ilana Gritzewsky, and Elijah Cohen are among an expected 40,000 participants who will gather to express solidarity with Israel and advocate for the release of the hostages.
“We march together, united with our families to secure the release of hostages. Our message is simple: there’s nothing more vital than bringing them home. We won’t stop until everyone is back,” a spokesperson stated.
This year’s parade theme, “Hachikva,” translates to “hope” in Hebrew and has ties to Israel’s national anthem.
The 2025 parade logo features a colorful tree adorned with a yellow ribbon, symbolizing support for the 251 individuals affected by the Hamas attacks on October 7th.
The Siegel and Gritzewsky families regained their freedom in November 2023 following a ceasefire with Hamas, whereas Steinblacher and Cohen suffered nearly 500 days of captivity.
“It’s hard to wrap your head around it, and there’s really no way to express our country’s failure to comprehend what happened even just 50 meters underground,” Cohen remarked post-release.
This marks the second march since the onset of the Israel-Gaza War, focusing on new demands to combat anti-Semitism while celebrating Jewish culture and advocating for the remaining hostages.
The procession starts at 62nd Avenue at 11:30 AM and moves northward to 74th Avenue.
