‘We Need Leadership, Not Silence’: A Father’s Push After October 7
In a searing interview-driven piece, Felice Friedson spotlights Ruby Chen’s campaign to turn grief into policy. Chen—whose 19-year-old son, Itay, was killed on October 7 and whose remains are believed to be held in Gaza—says hostage families feel let down by leaders and want concrete tools to bring home everyone, living or dead. He describes asking US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner what “levers” exist—sanctions, enforcement mechanisms, anything that moves the dial. The immediate concern: current arrangements link Palestinian prisoner releases to living hostages, but there is no binding clause to return the deceased, leaving families in an excruciating limbo with “best effort” promises.
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The article traces Itay Chen’s case and the broader push for clear, accountable steps: a multinational task force to find those still missing, expanded psychological and logistical support for families, and public-facing leadership. Chen faults Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for avoiding direct engagement with families at Hostages Square and says that silence deepened anger. He adds that Israel has sought advice from US experts involved in the post-September 11 response, acknowledging there is no ready-made playbook for this kind of national trauma.
This is not a movement ready to fold as releases wind down. Chen pledges to return weekly to the square “even if there’s one left,” framing the next days as a narrow window where moral courage and practical action must meet. For names, context, and the full arc of a father pressing Israel and the US to “bring everyone home,” read the complete article by Felice Friedson.
