In Jerusalem, a powerful exhibition has been set up at the City Hall: empty beds, numbering over 230, stand as a stark symbol of the babies, children, and elderly people who were taken hostage from their homes by Hamas to Gaza on October 7th.
This silent protest, created by the families of the kidnapped and supported by local volunteers and officials, is a desperate call for attention to the loved ones they’ve lost.
Jerusalem’s Mayor, Moshe Leon, joined these families in a moment of quiet reflection and together they sang Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” showing a united front in the face of this crisis.
Yoseph Haddad, an Arab-Israeli journalist who is influential on social media, has been speaking to these families, trying to highlight their pain and the injustice they’re facing.
Speaking to CBN News, Haddad shared stories that he’s heard, like the troubling story of a nine-year-old boy forced to celebrate his birthday in a Hamas tunnel instead of with his family.
Haddad asks what it will take for the world to respond to this tragedy—how much more suffering is needed for people to take notice and act?
One of the most striking stories is that of Mai Albini’s grandfather, 79-year-old Chaim Perez, who showed remarkable courage during the Hamas attacks on October 7th. While he and his wife were hiding, Chaim acted quickly to protect her, even tricking one of the terrorists and hiding his wife before he was taken.
What makes this even more poignant is that Chaim is known for helping Gazan civilians get to Israeli hospitals for treatment, and now he is one of those being held in Gaza.
Haddad has a strong message for Americans: it’s time to support Israel and “the good guys,” he says. He warns that ignoring this situation can have consequences beyond Israel—it’s part of a bigger threat. He urges a collective effort to bring the hostages home.
The beds are not the only reminder of the hostages.
Reuters’ reported in a social media post on X.com, “Red balloons adorned the auditorium of Jerusalem’s International Convention Center representing Israelis kidnapped by Hamas militants, while an art installation featuring over 200 empty beds went on display in central Tel Aviv’s Habima Square.”
Fellowship of Israel Ministries (FIRM) posted about the beds on Instagram the day after one of the hostages was rescued from the terror tunnels in Gaza.
“Last night Ori became the first of the hostages in Gaza to be rescued rather than released. This rescue gives us hope, but in the midst of that hope there is a very real heaviness,” FIRM stated.
“Next to Jerusalem’s city hall there is an exhibition of over 230 beds. These beds represent the 238+ hostages that remain inside Gaza. It is also a poignant and tragic reminder of how these hostages were brutally taken, right from their beds and their homes.”
Among the beds are cribs and toys, a stark reminder of the more than 30 hostages who are children and babies.
“Next to one of the beds a clock is stopped at the time the October 7ths attack started,” FIRM wrote.
It is a poignant tribute that everyone should see and remember why Israel is fighting, why they cannot let Hamas stand.
Please join us in praying for Israel and the safe return of all of the hostages.
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