After their loved ones disappeared during the attack on the southern Israeli villages, the families of the missing, most of whom were apparently kidnapped to Gaza, broke their silence and issued a joint statement to the media on Sunday evening. In their statement, they recounted the harrowing moments when they lost contact with their loved ones and called for their safe return to be prioritized at a national level. One of them articulated the purpose of uniting the families: "to assist in the return of the captives and the missing, and not to face these challenges alone."

During the statement, Uri David, the father of the missing Hodia and Tair, shared his chilling experience of losing contact with his daughters after they encountered Hamas terrorists who had breached the border fence. "Yesterday morning, my two daughters were in contact with me. They were lying on the ground with an open phone under immense pressure. I could hear gunshots in the background; they were in a perilous situation. There were shouts and conversations in Arabic. I advised them to lie low or face each other, urging them to hold their breath. I remained on the phone with them for 30 agonizing minutes until I heard four deep breaths – and since then, they have not responded. I implore the entire world to witness this, to hear my words," he said.

עשרות חטופים ישראלים pic.twitter.com/TN6EnGsc8c

— street cat 🐈 (@wwwwqqq123) October 7, 2023

Shelley and Malki Shem Tov, the parents of Omer, an Israeli confirmed to be in Hamas captivity, recounted the nightmarish series of events when their son attempted to escape from the attacked gathering. "Omer is our heart. He went out to dance and enjoy time with his friends after Friday night dinner. At 6:30 in the morning, Omer called to inform us about the sirens. Our immediate plea was for him to leave the area, but chaos prevailed."

"In the midst of this, we came to realize that the situation was much more complicated," added his father. "During a phone call, he informed us that they had gotten into a car and started driving. I noticed on the GPS that the car was heading towards Gaza, contrary to our advice. I desperately tried to reach Omer and redirect him, but he no longer answered his phone. The next location was across the border. We tried to suppress our fears, but then someone alerted me to a video showing Omer in the custody of Hamas. I saw a young man, immobilized, bound, lying on the ground, but still alive!"

Over 1,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on Gaza so far. This is what it looks like. pic.twitter.com/Df80Qiqj5O

— Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) October 9, 2023

During the press conference, they articulated several demands, including the establishment of a consistent dialogue with both the families and government authorities, the implementation of an operation alongside the military efforts aimed at bringing the missing individuals back home, the appointment of a designated liaison to maintain continuous contact with the families, and the urgent involvement of influential figures such as President Erdogan of Turkey, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and President Al-Sisi of Egypt, who possess the capability to compel Hamas to release the captives and prioritize their immediate and peaceful return on a national scale.