‘We Are His Voice’: Family of Hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal Speaks Out at Jerusalem Event
At a Jerusalem ceremony, Ilan and Merav Gilboa Dalal speak out about their son’s captivity and their resolve to bring him home
At an emotional ceremony held at the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, Ilan and Merav Gilboa-Dalal, the parents of hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, delivered a moving message of resilience and determination. Their son has been held in Gaza for more than 500 days following his abduction by Hamas, and they vowed to continue fighting for his release.
“It’s very hard for us,” Ilan Dalal said. “We are getting up every morning with a big hole in our heart… but then we think about Guy that is still in the tunnels… and we get strength. You know that we are his voice and he’s counting on us to do everything we can to get him out.”
The couple spoke during a reception honoring US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. The event was organized by Dr. Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Museum, who presented Huckabee with the Friends of Zion Award—an honor previously associated with the late Israeli President Shimon Peres.
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In his remarks, Huckabee acknowledged the pain of the families whose loved ones remain in captivity. “Tonight, as we’ve heard the stories of these families whose hearts are broken… our hearts broke with them,” he said. Huckabee also expressed gratitude for his connection to the Jewish people, describing it as foundational to his Christian faith.
Released hostage Omer Shem-Tov also addressed the audience. Shem-Tov, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and held for 505 days, credited his faith for sustaining him through captivity. “Every day I was there, I woke up and I thanked God that I have air in my lungs and some food on my plate,” he said. “Every Friday I used to do a kiddush … everything about faith and belief kept me going.”
Shem-Tov’s story moved many in the room, including Huckabee, who praised the young man’s spirit. “I was overwhelmed that through all of the hard things you’ve been through, you were able to smile,” he said.
The evening served as both a recognition of Huckabee’s staunch support for Israel and a poignant reminder of the human cost of ongoing conflict. From the museum in central Jerusalem, the message was clear: the fight for the hostages is far from over, and their families are not giving up.
