About 150 members from the Cornell and Ithaca community gathered at 6 p.m. on Monday at a vigil held in honor of the six hostages who were found dead in Gaza.
Organized by Cornellians for Israel, the Roitman Chabad Center, Cornell Hillel and the Center for Jewish Living, attendees joined on Ho Plaza and draped American and Israeli flags over their shoulders.
Amanda Silberstein ’26, vice president of the Chabad Center and Cornellians for Israel, began the vigil by discussing the ongoing struggles of the hostages in Gaza.
“We gather here with shattered hearts to mourn the 1,200 previous individuals ruthlessly slaughtered and the 250 innocent souls taken from their lives and dragged to the dark tunnels of Gaza,” Silberstein said. “Over the past 332 days, we have gotten to know about each of the hostages and their faces have become etched into our minds and hearts. This weekend we learned of the tragic murder of the six beloved souls.”
On Oct. 7, 2023, about 1,200 people were killed by Hamas in Israel and about 250 were taken to be held as hostages in Gaza.
On Saturday, the bodies of six hostages were found dead in a tunnel in Gaza — Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Almond Sarusi, Alexander Lobanvi and Hersh Golberg-Polin. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, the hostages were killed shortly before soldiers reached them. After their deaths were confirmed, protests erupted across Israel, criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to cease-fire negotiations.
Throughout the vigil, students expressed grief and shed tears as they shared stories of the six hostages, with six students taking turns to speak about each of them.
“Every Shabbos, I pray that when I turn back on my phone after Shabbos ends on Motzei Shabbos, I will see that all the hostages return safely back to their homes and families,” said Yael Schranz ’26, who spoke about Eden Yerushalmi at the vigil. “This Motzei Shabbos I saw the opposite. I saw the terrors that still persist. I saw the life of six beautiful people come to an end after they’ve suffered so much already.”
Netanel Shapira ’25 spoke in honor of Golberg-Polin, emphasizing the importance of remembering him and all the hostages who remain captive. Golberg-Polin was a 23-year-old dual American and Israeli citizen.
“While we can not bring Hersh home alive, it is our duty to bring him everywhere else. And one last thing, though certainly not least — don’t forget any of the hostages,” Shapira said.
The Israeli government believes that there are currently 101 hostages held in Gaza with 35 thought to be dead. Originally, eight U.S. citizens were taken by Hamas, according to All Isreal News. With the confirmation of Golberg-Polin’s death, four U.S. citizens remain hostages in Gaza.
“Say their names, fight for them because the rest of the world refuses to do so,” Shapira said.
After the stories were shared, the gathering observed a minute of silence — ten seconds for each hostage — followed by prayers and singing.
Kayla Singer ’25, co-engagement chair of Cornellians for Israel, expressed that the vigil helped provide her support and served as a reminder of her community.
“For me, when I heard the news, … these are kids in Israel who are just like I am in America and to see an American citizen be killed was very saddening,” Singer said. “I wanted to be near my community at this time and to remember and call for the remaining hostages underneath Gaza in tunnels to be returned home.”
Singer also emphasized the importance of unity in the face of tragedy.
“I think a lot about this war has been a polarizing issue, but the hostages shouldn’t be polarizing,” Singer said. “For people who want to call for the safe and healthy return of these hostages, these kinds of vigils and places of mourning and places of community can give individuals in the community a space to come together.”
Silberstein highlighted the ongoing plight of the remaining hostages and the importance of these vigils to keep their memory alive.
“There are 101 innocent civilians — beloved individuals who are being held by a terrorist organization — and I think the world needs to know they are not alone,” Silberstein said. “[We] hold these events, these vigils, to come together, say their names, and recognize that they will not be forgotten, that they are in our minds every minute of our lives.”