May 28 marked a grim and unthinkable milestone: 600 days of captivity for 58 Israeli hostages who were abducted by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.

As the days stretch on, survivors of captivity and families of the missing are joining in a unified, urgent call to leaders in Israel and around the world to keep the door to freedom open – until every single hostage returns home.

At a Wednesday morning press gathering in Tel Aviv, representatives from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum delivered heartfelt statements to the media, reflecting the anguish and unwavering hope that define their daily lives. Survivors and their families’ message was clear: the people of Israel stand united in demanding the safe return of all hostages – the living for rehabilitation, the deceased for dignified burial.

‘One decision away from freedom’

Arbel Yehoud, a captivity survivor and the girlfriend of abductee Ariel Cunio, spoke of the trauma and uncertainty she faces, having been forcibly separated from Ariel mere hours after their joint abduction.

“I haven’t seen him since. I haven’t heard from him. The anxiety about his fate never leaves me,” she said.

“I was there. I know exactly what they’re going through. Every hostage, living and deceased, is just one decision away from freedom,” she continued. “President [Donald] Trump opened the door, and [former hostage] Edan Alexander walked through it. That door must remain open until everyone passes through.”

Her words echo a broader sentiment: while a few hostages have been released through complex negotiations, many more remain trapped underground, enduring torture and deprivation.

The families’ pain was echoed by Ofri Bibas, sister of captivity survivor Yarden Bibas, whose family suffered multiple abductions on that fateful day.

“From an entire family, only Yarden came back,” she lamented. “President Trump, you helped bring my brother and many others home. We’re pleading with you to do everything to complete the mission.”

Anat Angrest, mother of hostage Matan Angrest, addressed the country with a mother’s raw heartache.

“Imagine knowing you gave your most precious gift to defend the homeland, and yet you remain abandoned and forgotten. We refuse to become a society that learns to live with suffering brothers in captivity and murdered ones who disappear forever.”

Luis Har, a captivity survivor, shared his renewed purpose since his rescue.

“I live with only one mission – to bring all hostages home, to support the families, and to stand together as one big family.”

The unified call is not only emotional but carries the weight of national healing. Yocheved Lifshitz, another survivor, underscored this.

“The hostages are the key to national healing. There is national agreement across political lines and sectors. Time is running out, the world is watching, and history will remember.”

In a Tuesday night forum ahead of the 600th day, Keith Siegel, a survivor who spent 484 days in captivity and witnessed unspeakable violence, shared his struggle with recovery, haunted by the knowledge that four former cellmates remain imprisoned.

“It is very hard to deal with. They deserve to be brought back as I was,” he said, urging global leaders to secure a deal for all hostages.

Ayelet Samerano, mother of hostage Yonatan Samerano, recounted the trauma of her son’s abduction from a music festival.

“Six hundred days is unimaginable. We don’t know if he is alive or dead. We ask the US and Israeli governments to work together. We need to finish this war for both sides.”

Dalia Cusnir Horn painfully described life with one brother returned and one still captive.

“Six hundred days is one more horrible, painful experience every day. Humanity and democratic countries all failed them. We need to fix this. The key is to let the hostages go.”

The survivors and families implored leaders, including Trump, US administration officials like Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to intensify efforts to secure the release of all hostages and bring closure to a national wound that transcends politics.

This solemn milestone is more than just a passage of time – it is a testament to resilience, a plea for justice, and a demand for humanity. The message is unanimous and urgent: no one is free until all are free.

How are Israelis commemorating 600 days?

Starting early Wednesday morning, a steady stream of cyclists, runners, walkers, and supporters gathered at Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv, joining 28-year-old Jake Teper in a deeply symbolic act of remembrance and solidarity. Teper, an immigrant from Milwaukee who runs Yalla Bikes, embarked on a challenging mission: to bike 600 laps around the square, one for each day that hostages have been held in Gaza since the tragic events of October 7.

The event is not just a personal challenge but a powerful public statement.

“We’re using these 600 laps as a way to bring the community together,” Teper said. “Each lap represents one day that the hostages have been captive. The monotony of going around and around mirrors the families’ experience – waiting for answers, hoping for news.”

Teper began his ride at 9 a.m. and had already completed 275 laps as of this writing in the mid-afternoon, with many others joining throughout the day in a mix of biking, running, walking, and even roller skating.

“It’s amazing to see people come out – not just friends but strangers, followers from Instagram, and local residents. Everyone showing support means so much,” he added.

Among those joining was Asaf Zamir, former tourism minister and Tel Aviv’s former deputy mayor, who hopped on his bike to do several laps, underscoring the city’s solidarity with the cause. Teper hoped that officials would continue to show their support and show up throughout the day.

Teper reflected on the emotional weight behind the ride.

“Packing up this morning, I looked at pictures of the hostages still in Gaza. It’s hard to imagine what they and their families are going through after 600 days. When I tell people about 600 laps, many say it’s crazy – but that’s nothing compared to 600 days of captivity.”

Despite the physical and emotional challenge, Teper stayed energized by the presence and encouragement of the community.

“Every new person who arrives is like a shot of espresso – it keeps me going,” he said.

The ride is not just a tribute but a call to action.

“Me doing this alone wouldn’t mean much,” Teper emphasized. “But when hundreds of people come out and show their support, online and in person, it creates power. Hopefully, it puts pressure on those in positions of power to do what’s necessary to bring our people home.”

As the laps continued, so did the hope that the day would come when the 600 laps would become a symbol of closure and celebration rather than struggle.

Teper was not alone in his commemoration efforts, particularly among Tel Aviv’s international community. For olah Cat Korren, her training as a yoga instructor led her to plan a 60-minute yoga session to mark 600 days of hostage captivity. Korren is the founder of mindfILness, an organization bringing together wellness and Judaism.

“I teach yoga, meditation, and Jewish wisdom, and today’s flow will be 60 minutes to commemorate 600 days of the war. We will light candles in memory of those we have lost, and support our community through yoga to release our mind, body, and soul, praying for the release of the hostages,” Korren told The Jerusalem Post.

Planned for 7 p.m. in Charles Clore Park near Jaffa, Korren’s active session was aimed to help participants heal, commemorate, and release the stresses that come with 600 days of war.

“It’s open to all and is a place to meet and support each other. Mindfulness which aims to unite yogic and Jewish teachings,” she added.

In the South, the Kibbutz Nir Oz community spent the morning marching from Kfar Etzion toward Kibbutz Nir Oz in the “Freedom March.”

More than 40 residents of the Nir Oz community were murdered on October 7, with 76 taken hostage. Only some have since returned, while others, including Ariel and David Cunio, remain in captivity. Though not a member of the kibbutz himself, Eitan Horn was abducted from Nir Oz during the massacre alongside his brother, Iair, whom he was visiting on the kibbutz that weekend. Iair has since been released.

In the South, the Kibbutz Nir Oz community spent the morning marching from Kfar Etzion toward Kibbutz Nir Oz in what they are calling the “Freedom March.”

After arriving at Nir Oz, other Gaza border kibbutz communities joined in their ceremony. Nira Sharabi, the wife of the late Yossi Sharabi, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri along with his daughter’s boyfriend, Ofir Engel, spoke of the constant loss their family and many others faced on October 7 – 600 days ago.

Her brother-in-law, Eli, returned in the last deal after 491 days. He was emaciated, and asked for his family before receiving the horrific news that his wife and daughters were murdered that day.

“Every Saturday night, crowds take to the streets, to the squares, to rallies, showing us we are not alone.

People I do not know hold signs with Yossi’s picture. My Yossi, our Yossi,” she said in her heartfelt remarks. “Fifty-eight hostages are not an isolated case. The people say it again and again – they are us, they are all of us, their return is the return of our values.

“I am Nira Sharabi from Be’eri, and I have lost a lot – But I look at you, and I remember I am not alone.”

Demonstrations break out nationwide

Across Israel’s universities, students and faculty led marches to call for the release of the hostages and to mark 600 days.

In Jerusalem, the Hebrew University paused all activities for 58 minutes, representing the 58 remaining hostages in Gaza captivity, calling for their release. The university held gatherings during this time across its four campuses at Mount Scopus, Givat Ram, Ein Kerem, and Rehovot, dedicating a minute to each of the remaining hostages held for 600 days. University president Prof. Asher Cohen urged the government to do everything possible to bring the remaining hostages home immediately.

“An entire country cannot begin the process of healing and recovery as long as there are hostages in Gaza,” he said. “We will continue to act and speak out on every possible platform – for 600 days – insisting that decision-makers must bring the hostages back and allow them to reunite with their families.”

Students from Reichman University in Herzliya and Tel Aviv University marched from their campuses to Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

At Tel Aviv’s Bialik Square, mothers, sisters, and other family members of the remaining and freed hostages gathered for a silent protest. Ruthie, the mother of the Horn brothers, spoke of her son Eitan’s strength. She expressed faith in her son and his ability to keep fighting and holding on.

Iair and Eitan’s sister-in-law, Dalia Cusnir, told the Post that her family understands that the majority of the Israeli public and Jewish world is on their side, calling for the return of the hostages and placing that at the highest priority.

“This is a humanitarian case, and this is not political... We need to really release Gaza from Hamas, and then be able to build a better future,” she said in an interview at the Shift 101 demonstration.

She noted that the protest movement currently has a lot of energy and momentum for 600 days, as it did for 100 days, 300 days, and the like.

“It’s even hard to plan each day because we’re just waiting for the next hostage deal... We’re very task-oriented.”

She also added that the 600-day mark is just ahead of Shavuot.

“We’ve been through all the Jewish holidays, and now Shavuot is coming, where we received the Torah... what is the Torah if not sanctifying life?”