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.’
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.
‘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.
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.
‘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.