The sister of Israeli hostage Romi Gonen howled her name across the Gaza border today in a heartbreaking effort to reach her.
Yarden Gonen, 30, desperately called out to her beloved sibling who has not been seen for more than 10 months, repeatedly yelling: ‘Romi! Romi! Romi!’
Stood perhaps within only a few miles of the 24-year-old, she shouted through a loudspeaker: ‘I want you to know that no matter what, we won’t stop. We’re doing everything for you…
‘My beautiful one, stay strong. You can. You’re strong. You have so much light within you, and I’m sure you’re spreading it to everyone around you.’
In an emotional plea with those holding her little sister, Yarden switched to Arabic at one point to implore Hamas to release Romi and the other hostages.
‘To all Hamas senior officials who hear me now, I turn to you, Hamas leader,’ she roars. ‘This is not Islam. Stop hurting women. Enough! Enough!’
Romi’s older sister Yarden calls out to her sister from the border with Gaza
The families have not seen their loved ones in nearly 11 months since Hamas’ shock incursion
Romi Gonen was among the hostages taken into 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 on the border from dozens of families whose loved ones have been held now for 328 days.
Some even tried to run into Gaza themselves before being stopped by border guards in scenes of harrowing desperation.
With politicians repeatedly failing on their promises to free the hostages, their relatives’ agony has become unbearable.
As talks continue to stall, they travelled to the Gaza border to let the hostages know they are still fighting for them after nearly a year of torment.
Yarden screamed: ‘Romi! I want you to know, I want you all to know we stopped everything and nothing but you matters. Nothing!
‘You are the most important thing in the world right now. Romi, my dear! I’m fed up. You don’t deserve this. None of you deserve this!’
Yarden’s family have not heard from Romi since a harrowing final phone call at the Nova festival on October 7.
Their mother, Meirav, was forced to listen as terrorists kidnapped Romi into Gaza as her friends lay dying in their car which had been ambushed.
Shira Albag, 51, whose daughter Liri, 19, is one of the youngest female hostages, also called out across the border.
‘I love you, I miss you, I apologise,’ she howled, tears running down her face. ‘We still haven’t managed, but I promise you that you’ll come back. Believe it!’
Liri was one of five teenage girls doing their national service as unarmed border observers when they were taken from the Nahal Oz base on October 7.
Footage of their battered and bloodied faces went around the world and provoked international condemnation – but still they remain in Gaza.
Referring to accounts from those freed in a November hostage deal, Shira shouted: ‘I know you’re strong. You’re a hero. The hostages who returned said so.
‘Survive there. You can, I know you can. I know you. We are fighting here. We don’t give up on anyone.’
Desperately calling out, she added: ‘I miss you so much it hurts.’
Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of hostage Edan Alexander, also called out across the border urging her grandson to be a ‘strong boy’.
‘Edan Alexander, your grandparents are here, our dear soul,’ she screamed. ‘We’re calling out to you—can you hear us, Edanele? Your parents are waiting for you in America.’
Despite fierce international pressure, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have failed to come to a compromise that would see the remaining hostages freed and the bloodshed end in Gaza.
Both sides have accused the other of making alterations to a format signed off by US President Joe Biden in May.
The family of Liri Albag call for her to stay strong and survive in Hamas detention in Gaza
As many as 107 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, with negotiations stalled
Liri Albag was one of five teenage girls doing their national service as unarmed border observers when they were taken from the Nahal Oz base on October 7
A photo of Liri Albag before being taken hostage on October 7, undated
Liri dressed up as queen Esther smiling at her father Eli
Liri age 6 with her father Eli. The family agreed to publish these private pictures which chart how she blossomed from a shy little girl into a confident a young woman who dreams to travel
Liri with boyfriend Nir Alboro. He was run over by a terrorist and left unable to walk, but while she has been held captive he has made a miraculous recovery and has vowed to run to meet her when she is freed
Ceasefire negotiations that would free the 107 captives have dragged on with talks still ongoing between the U.S, Qatar, Egypt and Israel.
The torment is becoming unbearable for the families with some trying to storm the border themselves today to bring back their loved ones.
Families said they are listening to the police and will abide by the law of Israel ‘but we will be back because the hostages must come home now,’
Gil Dickman, whose cousin Carmel Gat is held, was among them. Threatening the Israeli government, using the PM’s nickname ‘Bibi’, he warned: ‘Bibi, Gallant this is just the start, this is just the tip of the iceberg, next time we will get inside.
‘This is a threat, the family members of the hostages will not stop, if you will not bring them home we will bring them ourselves. We will be back.’
