Former hostage Yocheved Lifshitz spoke to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, expressing deep disappointment in the government's response to the Hamas attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. She described how residents were abandoned during the onslaught, suffering abuse and loss, and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for making promises during a visit but failing to follow through. Lifshitz recounted the devastation at Nir Oz, where most of the community was destroyed and many were either kidnapped or killed. Holocaust survivors also addressed the committee, urging the government to prioritize the return of hostages and sharing their own traumatic experiences of captivity and loss.

The testimonies highlighted ongoing pain and frustration among survivors and families of hostages, with calls for immediate action to bring those still held captive back home.