Naama Levy, an IDF surveillance soldier who was freed from Hamas captivity, addressed the central rally at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. Opening her speech with gratitude to the crowd that had filled the square even when she couldn’t hear them, Levy recounted moments of extreme survival, paralyzing fear—and the miracles that kept her alive.
“I Saw You in the Square”
“I saw you in the square, wrapped in flags, holding our photos. It made me believe I hadn’t been forgotten. That people were still fighting for me,” she said. “That strength kept me going. You gave me hope when I had almost nothing left.”
Rainwater and Airstrikes
Levy recalled how, during her early days in captivity, she was held alone under constant fear, often without food or water. She described one moment when rain began to fall and her captors placed a pot outside: “I drank the rainwater. That’s what kept me alive.” She also described the terror of bombardments: “They come suddenly. First the whistle—then the explosion. One time, the wall I was leaning against was the only one that didn’t collapse. That’s what saved me.”
“They’re Still There—With Nowhere to Run”
Levy addressed the public directly, emphasizing that the same terror continues for those still held hostage in Gaza. “Even now, there are people hearing those same whistles. They’re trembling with fear, clinging to the walls, with no way to escape—just prayers and helplessness.” She urged the crowd to keep raising their voices: “You have no idea how much it helps. How much it matters. I’m here because of the public’s fight—because of you.”
“There’s No Victory Without Bringing Them All Home”
Levy closed her remarks with an emotional appeal to the families of hostages and victims, making clear that her own freedom is far from complete. “I’m standing here free, but my heart isn’t whole. Until the last hostage returns, none of us truly comes back. Because there is no victory without bringing them all home.”
