‘No one left behind’
"500 days since 1200 people were savagely butchered, 500 days since 251 were taken hostage," Zeddy Lawrence told the crowd.
Around1500 people gathered at Caulfield Park on Monday to mark 500 days since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, calling for the release of the hostages at a rally organised by Zionism Victoria and United With Israel.
“500 days since 1200 people were savagely butchered, 500 days since 251 were taken hostage, 500 days that 73 of those hostages are still in captivity, and 500 days of escalating antisemitism on these shores,” Zionism Victoria’s executive director Zeddy Lawrence told the crowd.
United With Israel’s Nirit Eylon implored, “We must act now. We need to support the hostages, their families and our brothers and sisters in Israel. For the hostages it is still October 7 … We will not give up until no one is left behind.”
Speakers included Kfar Aza survivor Bar Elisha, Israeli army medic Yotam Deri and Galia Hartman whose extended family were killed and taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri.
Elisha shared his harrowing account of survival. “On October 7 the gates of hell broke loose … I ran to get my weapon out of armoury which was already ambushed by the terrorists. Along with me, 14 members of the emergency response team rushed to the armoury and unfortunately seven lost their lives during this battle, including Ofir Lipstein, they were all my best friends.” In Kfar Aza, 64 members of the kibbutz were killed including Elisha’s brother-in-law Guy Admoni who was shot holding his mother Michal.
Deri spoke about the horrors he witnessed as an emergency doctor treating the wounded on October 7, as well as being an army medic on the frontlines in Gaza. After serving in Gaza he returned to treating wounded soldiers. “Each case carried its own tragedy,” he said.
Hartman told of how her extended family were killed and taken hostage from Be’eri, including Tal Shoham who remains captive and is scheduled to be released on Saturday. His wife and children were also kidnapped but have since been released.
“The children want their father back,” Hartman said.
Miki Yechieli, father of Omri Yechieli, came to the podium. “I was not supposed to speak … We lost our son, a 35-year-old fighter, a hero from Duvdevan unit … all I want to do in this moment is just one thing, salute you all, God bless you,” he said as he saluted the crowd.
Songs were performed by Lihi Askar and the Halev Choir, before the crowd formed the number 500 and chanted “Bring them home now!”
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