Families of released hostages and those killed on October 7 call on Israeli government for an invest

(16 Dec 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jerusalem - 16 December 2025
1. Families of the "October Council” lighting third candle of Hanukkah
2. More of lighting third candle of Hanukkah
3.SOUNDBITE (English): Lee Siegel, brother of released hostage Keith Siegel
“I’m here to light candles for Hanukkah and it doesn't have to be a miracle that Ron Gvili (last hostage held in Gaza) is returned home for a proper burial. It is the minimum of what any human being deserves. I'm here to call for the government to put a committee for investigation, not a political tool, a committee to investigate everything that happened on October 7 through today, tomorrow, next week for everyone to understand. A full report.”
4. Families of the "October Council” with posters of people killed on October 7
5. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew): Yoram Yehudai, father of Ron Yehudai who was killed at Nova music festival
“This week there was a very difficult event. A massacre. Over 15 of our people in Sydney, Australia, were murdered. Another massacre that is an anti-Semitic event. They were murdered just because they are Jews. The inevitable happened - our Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused the Prime Minister of Australia. That's true. The Prime Minister of Australia is guilty, that’s correct. But which prime minister are we going to blame for the October 7 massacre? We have not yet seen the Israeli government and the prime minister take responsibility for the October 7 massacre.”
6. Families of the "October Council” with posters of people killed on October 7
7. SOUNDBITE (English): Hanna Wacholder-Katsman, whose son was killed on October 7
“He (Hanna’s son) was murdered by terrorists on October 7th. Our government has been taking responsibility for this. We need to have a national inquiry of commission. Like, just as has been done in many, many smaller, disasters. Israel has never faced a disaster like this. And we need the government to take responsibility and to find out what happened. Where was everyone? How did this happen? How were the warnings ignored? They can't bring my son and, hundreds of other people who were killed back. But we need to get to the bottom of this. We need answers.”
8. Various of lighting memorial candles


AP video: Shlomo Mor
STORYLINE:
Families of the "October Council" on Tuesday demanded a state commission of inquiry to examine the government policies that led to Hamas' attack on October 7 2023.

While lighting the third candle of Hanukkah and memorial candles, families of released hostages and those killed on October 7 gathered in Jerusalem and called on government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu establish a committee that will investigate it.

“I'm here to call for the government to put a committee for investigation, not a political tool, a committee to investigate everything that happened on October 7 through today, tomorrow, next week for everyone to understand. A full report,” said Lee Siegel , brother of released hostage Keith Siegel.

Following the mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration that left 15 people dead, father of Ron Yehudai who was killed at Nova music festival on October 7 said that it was “another massacre that is an anti-Semitic event. They were murdered just because they are Jews.”

Last month, Israel's government has agreed to launch an investigation into the government failures that led to the attack. But questions about the investigation’s independence drew accusations Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to evade personal responsibility in the worst attack in Israel’s history.

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