MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
More than a year since the attack on southern Israel by Hamas militants, the fate of dozens of the more than 240 hostages taken remains unclear. While some were released in well-publicized exchanges for Palestinian prisoners, 35 are confirmed dead, according to the Israeli government, which means that hopes remain that more than 60 other people are still alive. Romi Gonen is in that group. Her sister Yarden is currently in Washington, D.C., where, along with other hostage families, she is advocating for the release of those remaining in captivity. And she believes and hopes that that will lead to a cease-fire agreement and an end to the war. And she is with us now. Thank you so much for speaking with us.
YARDEN GONEN: Thank you, Michel. I very much appreciate it.
MARTIN: How are you holding up? I've seen you speak to various groups, and it just must be so difficult.
GONEN: Honestly, I don't know how I'm holding up. I mean, I know - 'cause my sister is there in captivity, held by the monsters on Earth. So I must do anything in my power and beyond my power, just drawing everyone I know and everyone I don't know to help me to release her - not just for her sake and the other hostages' sake, but also for humanity's sake. If I just stay back at home, I will be depressed and be so hurtful on my body and soul from what my sister is going through. And I can't let that happen even for one more second.
MARTIN: I've heard you speak, and I know that you were on the phone with her when she was taken, which was traumatic in and of itself. Do you remember when you last heard word of her, someone who had seen her?
GONEN: The last time we've heard from someone that's seen her was at the November agreement almost a year ago, from released hostages that were with her. Ever since, we got a few signs of life, but no one else that was released or rescued saw her. It is pretty hard. We're managing to keep on faith, but you cannot wondering - how is she surviving there? 'Cause people can survive, but in what conditions, and what is going on with the women over there? And from stories that we've heard from released hostages, it's not a good situation to be in.
MARTIN: Yeah.
GONEN: It's not picnic.
MARTIN: Now, over the weekend, Yoav Gallant, on his last day as Israeli defense minister, met with some hostage families and told them that the military had already achieved all of its objectives in Gaza and that it was the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who's holding up a cease-fire deal to end the war and return the remaining hostages home. Did you have any family members at that meeting? And I just wondered if there's any more you can add to what was said.
GONEN: Unfortunately, no. None of my family members were there, but we very much trust Gallant and his point of view. For me, it was a kind of a wake-up call, you know? I'm here in Washington, D.C. I'm looking at the Biden administration and asking them to do whatever they feel like they haven't done yet. I'm looking at the president-elected, Trump, and asking him to be brave, the bravest like in the American anthem, to free those hostages, 'cause I know that both of them - Biden and Trump knows how much power America can have on this world. The world needs them to fight against terrorism before it will come to your doorstep.
MARTIN: Do you think that the hostages are a high enough priority for the Netanyahu government?
GONEN: No, 'cause they're not home yet. I'm not sure if they're in the highest priority or not. But what I am sure is we haven't done enough, 'cause if we've done literally everything, they would be here already, you know?
MARTIN: Yeah. Donald Trump, as you know, has very close ties with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and he said over the course of his campaign that he would end the war. Do you hope that Trump will have some influence with Netanyahu that perhaps President Biden has not had?
GONEN: I feel like we're in a time like winds of change in the air, not just in America and Israel, but in the whole world. And when Trump said that he will end the war and bring the hostages home, I hope that it's not just in empty words. I hope that he will fulfill this mission as soon as possible, 'cause for the hostages, they can't wait until January 20. So when Trump was elected and he said that, for me, it was like, OK, thank you. Now prove it, please. Don't just say it, 'cause we've heard a lot of words in the past 402 days, and we need actions. And we need it fast for the sake of humanity, like I said first.
MARTIN: That is Yarden Gonen. She is the sister of Romi Gonen, who was taken hostage on October 7 in southern Israel. You have our best wishes, and we wish you peace and strength through this ordeal.
GONEN: Thank you. Next time, we'll be with my sister. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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