Subhead:Parents of October 7 hostage victim Ran Gvili travelled to Sydney to comfort survivors and honour the dead.#
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Standing at the site of the massacre at Bondi Beach, I spoke with the parents of hostage victim Ran Gvili, who was the final hostage from the 7 October Hamas attacks to be laid to rest after 843 days in Gaza.
Itzik and Talik Gvili were visiting Sydney to offer comfort to the families of those killed when two gunmen attacked people celebrating Hanukkah, leaving 15 people dead. Their son Ran was taken hostage during the 7 October attack in Israel and later died in captivity.
The couple told me they wanted to strengthen the community and encourage Jewish people to stand proud in the face of terror.
“Be strong and be proud to be Jewish. Don’t be afraid of terrorists,” Mrs Gvili said. “If we are frightened, they will do it again. Look them in the eyes and say: no more.”
The Gvili family said their visit was about supporting victims’ relatives and sharing the grief that follows violent attacks.
“We came to give them strength. They should be proud of their husband, their brother and proud of what they stood for,” Mr Gvili said.
The parents spoke emotionally about their son, describing him as a hero who ran into danger to save others during the 7 October attacks in Israel.
