Two years after the Oct. 7 attack, a group of survivors and family members from Israel gathered in Washington D.C. to commemorate the lives lost and the hostages yet to return home.
All of them had a clear goal: urge the U.S government to work toward a ceasefire.
“The terrorists found me. I was beaten, boarded and taken to gaza on a motorcycle with sexual abuse for 55 days I was held in captivity, living in fear, hunger, and deprived of basic human rights,” said Oct. 7 survivor Ilana Gritzewsky, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists two years ago.
She went on to describe what she endured before being released in a hostage prisoner swap, last year.
“No sunlights. No showers. Barely any food or water. I lost 24 pounds. I lost hearing on my left here. My hip was broken. My leg was burned. My jaw was dislocated. And they took my soul,” added Gritzewsky. “Today I might be free but Matan and 47 hostages are still held by Hamas.”
Matan Zangauker, her partner, is one of those hostages.
About 1,600 Israelis and more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, with nearly 2 million displaced in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas, the most recent proposal for a ceasefire calls for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Gritzewsky alongside the other survivors and family members are desperate for their relatives’ release.
“To President Trump, Mr. President, we need you now more than ever,” she said. “You have done so much. And I’m begging you to help ensure the hostages are freed. The world needs your leadership.”
Negotiations are still ongoing on Egypt. President Trump says all parties involved have made progress toward a possible ceasefire deal.
