NYC’s annual Israel parade attracts 50,000 participants calling for the release of remaining Israel hostages

New York’s annual Israel parade on Sunday drew approximately 50,000 participants, who marched in support of the 58 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul led the event alongside local Jewish community leaders. The pro-Israel parade has been a New York tradition since 1965.

City and state leaders who marched included NYC Mayor Eric Adams; State Attorney General Letitia James; U.S. Reps. Dan Goldman, Jerry Nadler, Tom Lawler, Grace Meng, and Gregory Meeks; and Sen. Chuck Schumer. Many participants chanted “Bring them home,” while others sought to personally shake the hands of former hostages or the families of current hostages who attended the rally.

“We will not rest until these three words become a reality: Bring them home,” Hochul stated. 

“We hoped that Trump’s visit to Qatar this week would yield something else, an end to the war and the return home of the hostages,” said Yehuda Cohen, the father of the current hostage Nimrod Cohen. A vocal critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cohen accused the Israeli government of not caring about the remaining hostages. 

“It’s more important to be here than to be in Israel,” said Nimrod’s brother Yotam Cohen. “There are more people paying attention here than in Jerusalem."

Last week, Hamas released Edan Alexander, a dual American-Israeli national as a goodwill gesture toward U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to the Middle East. 

Keith Siegel, another American-Israeli and former hostage, emphasized the importance of informing the outside world about the horrific living conditions of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

“Aviva and I are on a mission and we’re doing whatever we can to get them home,” he said, referring to his wife who is also a former hostage. “We’re grateful for your support, it’s urgent,” he continued. Siegel specifically mentioned the Israeli brothers Gali and Ziv Berman who are still held as hostages by Hamas in Gaza. 

“Keith is home,” his wife Aviva said. “I am the lucky one. I know what it feels like being held hostage in Gaza, touching death and being treated in such a brutal way."

The rally was protected by a significant police presence. Some anti-Israel protesters attempted unsuccessfully to disturb the pro-Israel rally.

The number of antisemitic incidents in the U.S. and internationally have increased dramatically since the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 massacre. Jews have reportedly become the main target of hate crime incidents in U.S. despite only constituting around 2% of the total population.

Approximately 1.3 million Jews live in the New York metropolitan area, the largest concentration of Jews outside Israel. 

New York City on Tuesday became the first major U.S. city to establish an Office to Combat Antisemitism under the administration of NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

Moshe Davis, who was appointed to lead the office against antisemitism, vowed to fight the rise of Jew-hatred in New York.  "Combating antisemitism requires a sledgehammer approach: coordinated, unapologetic, and immediate,” Davis stated.

He declared it "an attack not only on Jewish New Yorkers, but on the very idea of New York City as a place where people from all backgrounds can live together.”