The sister of Israeli hostage Romi Gonen today screamed her name across the Gaza border in a harrowing effort to reach her.
Yarden Gonen, 30, desperately called out to his beloved brother, whom he had not seen for more than 10 months, repeatedly shouting: “Romi! Romi! Romi!”
A few miles away from the 24-year-old, he shouted over a loudspeaker: “I want you to know that no matter what happens, we will not stop. We are doing everything we can for you…”
‘My beautiful one, stay strong. You can do it. You are strong. You have so much light inside you and I’m sure you’re spreading it to everyone around you.’
In an emotional plea to those holding his little sister, Yarden switched to Arabic at one point to implore Hamas to release Romi and the other hostages.
“To all the senior Hamas officials listening to me now, I am addressing you, Hamas leaders,” he roars. “This is not Islam. Stop hurting women. Enough! Enough!”
Romi’s older sister, Yarden, calls her sister from the Gaza border.
Families have not seen their loved ones for nearly 11 months since the shocking Hamas raid.
Romi Gonen was among the hostages taken in Gaza by Hamas during the October 7 attack.
Romi is pictured above with her family before she was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7.
Romi (left) is pictured with her older sister Yarden (right)
Romi is pictured with her grandmother Dvora Leshem, undated.
It was part of a powerful plea at the border by dozens of families whose loved ones have been detained for 328 days.
Some even tried to run into Gaza before being stopped by border guards in scenes of heartbreaking desperation.
As politicians have repeatedly failed to deliver on their promises to release the hostages, the agony of their families has become unbearable.
As talks remain stalled, they traveled to the Gaza border to let the hostages know they are still fighting for them after nearly a year of torment.
Yarden shouted, “Romi! I want you to know, I want everyone to know that we stopped everything and that nothing but you matters. Nothing!”
“You are the most important thing in the world right now. Romi, darling. I’m fed up. You don’t deserve this. Neither of you do!”
Yarden’s family has not heard from Romi since a heartbreaking final phone call at the Nova festival on October 7.
His mother, Meirav, was forced to listen as terrorists kidnapped Romi in Gaza while his friends lay dying in their ambushed car.
Shira Albag, 51, whose 19-year-old daughter Liri is one of the youngest hostages, also screamed across the border.
“I love you, I miss you, I apologize,” she cried as tears streamed down her face. “We’re not there yet, but I promise you’ll be back. Believe me!”
Liri was one of five teenage girls performing national service as unarmed border observers when they were abducted from the Nahal Oz base on 7 October.
Images of their battered and bloodied faces were seen around the world and sparked international condemnation, but they remain in Gaza.
Referring to accounts from those freed in a hostage deal in November, Shira shouted: “I know you are strong. You are a hero. The hostages who returned said so.”
“Survive there. You can, I know you can. I know you. We are here fighting. We will not surrender to anyone.”
And, desperate, she added: “I miss you so much that it hurts.”
Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, also called across the border urging her grandson to be a “strong boy.”
“Edan Alexander, your grandparents are here, my dear soul,” she called out. “We are calling you. Can you hear us, Edanele? Your parents are waiting for you in America.”
Despite fierce international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have failed to reach a deal that would free the remaining hostages and end the bloodshed in Gaza.
Both sides have accused each other of making changes to a form signed by US President Joe Biden in May.
Liri Albag’s family calls for her to stay strong and survive Hamas detention in Gaza
There are believed to be 107 hostages still being held in Gaza and negotiations are at a standstill.
Liri Albag was one of five teenage girls performing national service as unarmed border monitors when they were abducted from the Nahal Oz base on 7 October.
An undated photo of Liri Albag before she was taken hostage on October 7.
Liri dressed as Queen Esther smiling at her father Eli
Liri, 6, with her father Eli. The family agreed to release these private photos that show how she grew from a shy child to a confident young woman who dreams of traveling.
Liri with her boyfriend Nir Alboro. He was run over by a terrorist and was left unable to walk, but while she was held captive he miraculously recovered and promised to run to find her when she was released.
Ceasefire negotiations that would free the 107 captives have dragged on as talks continue between the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Israel.
The torment is becoming unbearable for the families and some of them are now trying to cross the border to bring back their loved ones.
The families said they are listening to the police and will abide by Israeli law, “but we will return because the hostages must return home now.”
Among them was Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is in custody. Threatening the Israeli government, using the prime minister’s nickname, ‘Bibi’, he warned: ‘Bibi, Gallant, this is just the beginning, this is just the tip of the iceberg, next time we will go in.
“This is a threat, the hostages’ families will not stop, if you don’t bring them home we will bring them ourselves. We will return.”