I don’t know how to begin an article about the terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7th.  How do you start an article about the slaughtering and kidnapping of innocent people by Hamas, a terrorist organization. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, said on ABC News’s “This Week”, “This is a massive terrorist attack that is gunning down Israeli civilians in their towns, in their homes, and as we’ve seen, so graphically, literally dragging people across the border with Gaza, including a Holocaust survivor in a wheelchair, women and children.”

As a father and a human being, I look at my children and get teary eyed knowing the horror some children and families are going through. Equally horrific are the elderly which have been taken hostage and brutally killed. You read the stories and pleas from family members for their loved one’s release, and it makes you want to cry.

Sharon Lifschitz lives in London, while her parents, Oded and Yocheved, reside on a kibbutz in Israel. On Oct. 7th Sharon’s parents were taken hostage. Outside of the obvious fears, her parents require medical attention. Her mother is on oxygen and her father is on medication for a lung condition. Lifschitz speaking at a press conference on Oct. 12th said, “I am here because there is work to do. There are hostages in Gaza, my mum was disconnected from her oxygen and loaded onto a motorbike.” In addition, Lifschitz told the British newspaper iNews that her father has lung disease which requires medical care. Thankfully, on Oct. 23rd, Sharon confirmed that her mother was released, however, her father remains a hostage. After being released, Yocheved, described the motorcycle ride into Gaza: “The young men hit me on the way. They didn’t break my ribs but it was painful and I had difficulty breathing.”

Then there are the pleas from Adva Adar, who has begged Hamas to release her grandmother, Yaffa. Yaffa’s photo on a golf cart can be found everywhere on the internet, along with the video of Hamas parading her around in disgusting fashion. Aside from fearing for her life, Adar has concerns about her grandmother’s medical condition because she is without her pain, heart, and kidney medication. “I can’t even start to understand how people think it makes sense to kidnap an 85 years old lady, kidnap babies, kidnap kids,” Adar said. “It’s not human”.

Through all the sadness there has been a ray of light. 63-year-old Vivian and 72-year-old Menachem Roitman successfully managed to fend off terrorist on three separate occasions, from a safe room on their kibbutz. During the third attempt, terrorists managed to partially open the door, but Menachem was able to pull the door shut. According to the Jews News Syndicate, the couple spent 13 hours in the room without food, water or a bathroom.

Unfortunately, only a few hostages have been released. While it’s joyous to see freed hostages reunited with their families, the joy is muted considering the people left behind and those we will never see again.  We know that all the hostages are not coming home. On Oct. 18th, hostages Carmela Dan and her 13-year-old granddaughter Noya were found dead at the Gaza border.

At B’nai B’rith we are doing our part to try and help by ensuring Israel receives the urgent aid and support it so desperately needs during this crisis. We are working closely with B’nai B’rith Israel and its members to ensure that those in need have the essentials: food, clothing and shelter. We’re also committed to providing our soldiers with the “little extras” that offer them comfort during these trying times. In simple terms, we’re working tirelessly around the clock to address any need that arises. This is only possible thanks to our dedicated members and supporters who have donated to our Israel Emergency Fund.

This article can’t possibly capture the stories of all the people taken hostage and lost. Often when while writing an article, I call on Congress or the White House to pass a bill for the betterment of older Americans. Calling on Hamas to release the remaining hostages seems like an insignificant cry. At this point I just hope every day that I read another story about a hostage being released.

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Evan Carmen, Esq. is the Legislative Director for Aging Policy at the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services. Click here to read more from Evan Carmen