Social media campaign launched to highlight 600 days in captivity

Hostage campaigners are calling on the community to use their social media platforms to amplify the plight of the 58 captives still held in Gaza after 600 days.

On October 7, thousands of Hamas terrorists stormed the south of Israel, murdering around 1,200 people and taking over 241 people hostage, including babies and elderly people.

While 148 have come home alive, a number of them were killed in captivity, among them Kfir and Ariel Bibas, aged ten months and four years old, who were murdered alongside their mother, Shiri, 32.

Many of those who were released have reported being chained, tortured and starved. Some of the women have said that they were sexually abused by their captors.

Today, a campaign, coordinated by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, British Hostage Families, Yellow Ribbon Campaign and the Board of Deputies, is calling on people to change their profile picture to the image below to mark 600 days of captivity.

Social media users are being asked to change their profile picture today to mark the hostages being held in captivity for 600 days (Photo: Hostages and Missing Families Forum, British Hostage Families, Yellow Ribbon Campaign, Board of Deputies)[Missing Credit]

Nivi Feldman, the UK lead of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said: "It has been 600 long days and nights since the terrorist organisation Hamas kidnapped over 241 babies, children, men and women. Today, 58 are still held hostage.

“Don’t let them be forgotten. Don’t let the world forget that when they were taken, a piece of all of us was taken.

“Until every one of them is brought home, we cannot - and will not - stop advocating for their return."

Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said: “The hostages, taken in such brutal circumstances on 7th October 2023 have now experienced 600 days of agony in awful conditions at the mercy of Hamas. We must remember their plight and ensure that their stories stay in the public consciousness. To change your social media profile costs nothing and takes next to no time, but if enough of us do it, we can make a significant impact. Please join us."

Ariella Knoble–Gershon, campaigns officer at the Board of Deputies, added: “Today, 58 individuals remain in Hamas captivity and the world is beginning to forget.

We’re calling on you to help us amplify their voices and ensure they are not forgotten.”

We ask that you change your social media profile image…to raise awareness and flood social media with the urgent call to bring them home.”

List of hostages still held in captivity

Alon Ohel

Ariel Cunio

Avinatan Or

Bar Kupershtein

Bipin Joshi

David Cunio

Eitan Horn

Eitan Mor

Elkana Bohbot

Evyatar David

Gali Berman

Guy Gilboa-Dalal

Matan Angrest

Matan Zangauker

Maksym Harkin

Nattapong Pinta

Nimrod Cohen

Omri Miran

Rom Braslavski

Segev Kalfon

Tamir Nimrodi

Yosef-Chaim Ohana

Ziv Berman

Amiram Cooper

Arye Zalmanovich

Assaf Hamami

Aviv Atzili

Daniel Oz

Daniel Peretz

Dror Or

Eitan Levy

Eliyahu Margalit

Gad Haggai

Guy Illouz

Idan Shtivi

Ilan Weiss

Inbar Hayman

Itay Chen

Joshua Loitu Mollel

Judi Weinstein

Lior Rudaeff

Many Godard

Muhammad Al-Atarash

Ofra Keidar

Omer Neutra

Ran Gvili

Ronen Engel

Sahar Baruch

Shay Levinson

Sonthaya Oakkharasri

Sudthisak Rinthalak

Tal Haimi

Tamir Adar

Uriel Baruch

Yair Yaakov

Yonatan Samerano

Yossi Sharabi

Hadar Goldin