Washington, D.C. — In a solemn speech on the Senate Floor today, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff demanded the release of Evyatar David and all the remaining hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
Recently, Sen. Ossoff, alongside several synagogues and Jewish organizations across Atlanta, “adopted” Evyatar’s case to spread the word and advocate for his immediate release. Evyatar David was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, while attending the Nova Music Festival.
Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s floor remarks.
Read the full transcript of Sen. Ossoff’s remarks below:
SEN. OSSOFF: “Madam President, Evyatar David has always loved music … singing and playing instruments with his brother, Ilay, and his sister, Yaela, at Shabbat dinners.
“Evyatar dreams of becoming a music producer one day.
“And that love of music led Evyatar to the Negev desert for the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023.
“For months he had been looking forward to a weekend of music and friends.
“But instead, Madam President, Evyatar is now, as I speak these words on the Senate Floor, living his 591st day of captivity in a Hamas dungeon under Gaza.
“His brother, Ilay, told me recently that another hostage, recently freed, brought him a message from Evyatar: that Evyatar misses, most of all, playing music with his family.
“Instead, Evyatar has been starved and kept in chains with a bag over his head.
“He and his best friend, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, have been held together and tortured together.
“Evyatar and Guy both have younger sisters, older brothers, parents, friends, whose lives are shattered by their absence.
“This, Madam President, is Evyatar before.
“But recent photos show a man abused and malnourished, and he was recently taken to witness the release of hostages, and then returned to captivity, simply to torment him.
“Madam President, I first met Evyatar’s brother, Ilay, when he visited Atlanta, and then hosted Ilay at my office here in the Senate, and I was inspired by the tenacity of his hope, and his relentless effort to ensure his brother is not forgotten.
“And today, Madam President, I rise to demand Evyatar’s freedom — and to demand, yet again, the release of all hostages held in Gaza.
“Many of us in Atlanta’s Jewish community, including Ohr HaTorah, Beth Jacob, B’nai Torah, and now all of the synagogues of the Atlanta Rabbinical Assembly, have decided to adopt Evyatar’s case, to call relentlessly for his immediate release and to ensure he is not forgotten or left for dead.
“This 24-year-old man has now spent two birthdays in brutal captivity, where he remains, right now, at this moment.
“But he belongs at home with his family.
“Evyatar, you are not forgotten.
“Free Evyatar David.
“Free him now.
“Thank you, Madam President.”
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