Call for Unity: Remembering the Past, Seeking Freedom

Israeli families of hostages urge remembrance of the Holocaust and demand the release of their loved ones as Auschwitz's liberation is commemorated. Recent ceasefire has seen some hostages freed amid ongoing Gaza conflict. Survivors emphasize the importance of remembering past atrocities to prevent future ones.

On Monday, Israeli families with loved ones held hostage by Hamas called for remembrance and rejection of antisemitism, in advance of the commemoration of the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. World leaders and Auschwitz survivors gathered to mark this significant 80th anniversary.

Hamas militants took 253 hostages and killed 1,200 people during attacks on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023. This prompted a renewed Israeli offensive causing substantial devastation in Gaza. A ceasefire has resulted in the release of some hostages, alongside hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Omer Lifshitz, whose relatives were affected, visited Auschwitz for the first time, drawing parallels with past horrors. Alongside him, Yasmin Magal, mourning her kidnapped and deceased cousin, emphasized the necessity of remembrance to prevent future atrocities and ensure the existing hostages' freedom.

(With inputs from agencies.)