Mum of Israeli hostage Naama Levy pens letter on her twentieth birthday
- Ayelet Levy Shachar, 50, revealed she ‘cannot unsee’ her daughter being taken
- Footage showed Naama being dragged by her hair into a car on October 7, 2023
- Dr Levy Shachar led thousands through Tel Aviv to mark Naama’s 20th birthday
The mother of Israeli hostage Naama Levy has written ‘I speak to you in my heart every day’ in a heartbreaking letter to her daughter on her 20th birthday in captivity.
Ayelet Levy Shachar, 50, wrote that she ‘cannot unsee’ graphic images of ‘the monster’ dragging Naama by the hair and forcing her into a car on October 7.
That footage was the most harrowing of the Hamas terror attack which sparked global outrage – but 260 days later 120 hostages remain in Gaza.
Dr Levy Shachar wrote in an open letter to her daughter in the New York Post: ‘My Naamonet, I speak to you in my heart every day. Do you hear me?
‘When I close my eyes, I see you in front of me smiling. Do you see me? Every day I sit with my thoughts and am overcome by unspeakable anguish and pain. I ask myself, how did we reach this point? And today that pain is even sharper.’
Ayelet Levy Shachar, the mother of Israeli hostage Naama Levy, wrote a heartbreaking letter to her daughter on her 20th birthday in captivity and said: ‘I speak to you in my heart every day’
Dr Levy Shachar said that she ‘cannot unsee’ graphic images of ‘the monster’ dragging Naama by the hair and forcing her into a car on October 7, 2023
‘Stop the world and bring everyone home’: The mother of Naama Levy, who was kidnapped into Gaza 264 days ago has pleaded for all the hostages to return back to Israel
Amit Levy, the elder brother of Naama, sits on her bed at their home in Raanana, Israel
On Saturday evening Dr Levy Shachar led thousands through the streets of Tel Aviv holding giant posters of her daughter and balloons to mark her birthday.
The procession was both uplifting and heartbreaking as the crowd chanted in unison: ‘Nothing is more important than bringing Naama home.
‘This is the right time to bring her home. Accept the deal to bring her home.
‘Without Naama this country’s not complete.
A special protest march was held through Tel Aviv on hostage Naama Levy’ 20th birthday
On Saturday evening Dr Levy Shachar led thousands through the streets of Tel Aviv holding giant posters of her daughter and balloons to mark her birthday
Naama’s mother made a plea for all the hostages to return to Israel and said: ‘Stop the world and bring Naama home. Stop the world and bring everyone home’
The procession marched to Hostage Square where Naama’s classmates gave speeches and performed her favourite song, Cover Me In Sunshine by P!nk
Families placed 120 teddy bears, each representing someone in captivity on the Shabbat table installation in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv
A woman wears accessories engraved with ‘Bring them home now’ and a badge with a yellow ribbon, as part of a campaign not to forget the plight of the hostages
‘Stop the world and bring Naama home. Stop the world and bring everyone home.’
While a ceasefire deal still feels distant, two weeks ago special forces succeeded in rescuing four hostages including Noa Argamani, 26.
Naama’s father, Yoni Levy, 52, told the Daily Mail that they drew strength from the fact those freed had seen people fighting for them on news reports in captivity.
The engineer said: ‘This is why we have all this media and all these signs and posters.
‘Today she will know that this is her birthday, and maybe, just maybe there is a chance that she will see this.
‘Even if it is just one per cent, that is enough to do it – to give her hope and optimism.
‘There was so much love and energy and hope on that march. We are sending this to her on her birthday.
‘I hope that somehow she gets some of this, to give her the strength to continue and be strong.’
The procession marched to Hostage Square where Naama’s classmates gave speeches and performed her favourite song, Cover Me In Sunshine by P!nk.
Cupcakes with birthday candles were then passed round the crowd and balloons were released as they lit them.
Ayelet Levy Shachar breaks down in tears and is comforted by her son, Amit, at the event
Marchers held placards with photos of Naama and a ’20’ stuck over the top to commemorate the Israeli hostage’s birthday on Saturday
Loved ones also filled in a mandala sketch after learning that Naama has been sketching the geometric shapes in captivity
Asked what his message would be to Naama if she could hear him, Mr Levy addressed his daughter and said: ‘First of all, we are sorry. Sorry that it has taken so much time.
‘But on the other end I want to give you the energy. To give you the energy that with your wisdom you will continue and survive – continue and fight.
Protestors on Saturday’s march held up placards of other hostages who were taken to Gaza, including 19-year-old Oz Daniel
Anguish: Thousands gathered to unite in their call for a hostage swap deal with Gaza and the dismissal of the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu
Some in the crowd held photos of kidnapped Naama Levy and poignantly, silver balloons to mark her 20th birthday
A marcher holds their hands and wears a silver chain bearing the words, ‘Bring them home now’
Two young women look solemn as they listen to speeches at the rally, held in Tel Aviv on Saturday
After sunset, the protestors lit a bonfire and called on the Israeli cabinet to sign a hostage deal
‘Don’t break. We are here doing whatever we can to finish this and bring you back to us.
‘So please, continue to fight.’
Naama’s brothers, Amit, 21, and Omri, 11, as well as her sister Michal, 16, were also at the rally.
Last month horrifying footage was released showing the moment Naama was captured along with four other teenage girls.
She was on compulsory national service as an unarmed observer for the IDF alongside Liri Albag, 19, Daniela Gilboa, 20, Karina Ariev, 19, and Agam Berger, 19, on October 7.
Each of their mothers made the agonising decision to release the horrifying three minute Hamas Go Pro video in a desperate bid to get politicians to fight for them.
It shows the young women limping, injured and bloodied as their hands are bound. They are lined against the wall by Palestinian terrorists having been taken from Nahal Oz base during their mandatory National Service as unarmed observers.
‘You dogs, we will step on you.’ one screams at the girls. Another of the terrorists is seen pointing at the girls calling them ‘Sabaya’, an ancient islamic term that can mean female sex slave, before leering over Karina in her snoopy pyjamas, saying: ‘You are so beautiful.’
The shocking footage sparked renewed efforts at a hostage deal, but Hamas rejected the proposal.
