Kin of hostages get emotional welcome from hundreds of supporters outside UN in NYC: ‘Bring them home’

Tearful kin of some Israeli hostages walked through an emotional crowd of hundreds of supporters on their way to the United Nations in Manhattan on Tuesday to plead for their loved ones’ return.

Among those gathered were the grim-faced parents of hostage Hersh Polin-Goldberg, 23, the American Israeli whose arm was blown off when Hamas terrorists attacked an Israeli music festival Oct. 7.

Relatives of Edan Alexander, 19 — a recent high-school graduate from Tenafly, NJ, who was serving in the Israeli military when he went missing since Hamas’ surprise attack — also were in the crowd of about 500.

“Just bring him home. That’s all,” said an Alexander family member — wearing a shirt with his picture on it — when asked for comment.

Ralliers cheered on the anguished families, some carrying signs that said, “STAND WITH ISRAEL,” “PLEASE THE HOSTAGES, BRING THEM HOME” as well as one that read “HIS ARM WAS BLOWN OFF THEN HE WAS TAKEN HOSTAGE #BRING_HERSH_HOME.”

Cars driving past the demonstration honked their horns in support while people shouted, “Bring them home!”

Supporters gathered in front of the UN to try and urge officials to do all that they can to get the hostages released.

Gaya Gurman, a 24-year-old medical student from Israel, told The Post she was advocating for “those who were kidnapped, those who were slaughtered and those who are fighting for us out there — whether it’s in Gaza, in the West Bank or in Lebanon.

“I have two friends who are held hostage in Gaza. One of them is a soldier, and the other was at a party. They’re both 23 years old. We don’t know what’s going on with them. The only thing I can do is speak up for them because they don’t have a voice right now,” Gurman said.

“One of them was a civilian. He was at a party just trying to have fun with his friends. Twenty-three years old, taken away. Why? Because he is Jewish? Because he is Israeli,” she said, breaking down in tears.

Michelle Zadok, 18, said she came out to the demonstration to tell the world, “This is wrong,” referring to the hostage-taking.

Zadok, who is from Israel and taking a gap year in the US before enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces, held a red carnation as she spoke.

“They need to be back in their homes. These are people that we know. These are our friends. These are kids from our school that were kidnapped while they were partying and celebrating life,” Zadok said.

“No matter what side you’re taking, it’s important to understand that kidnapping innocent children and elderly people is just not a solution for anything. Nothing justifies it even if you support the people in Gaza, and even if you think that the land belongs to them, still, kidnapping is wrong,” she said.

Also outside the UN building was Yuval Harari, an 18-year-old from Bergan County, NJ, who was taking a gap year in Israel but came home after the Hamas attack. The teen said it was important to spread awareness of what people are going through.

“Being away from Israel is very tough with everything going on. I have a lot of family that is constantly running to bomb shelters,” Harari said. “I know people in the army that have been kidnapped, so it’s important for me to come here to bring awareness so the whole world can see the horrors that we are going through.”

The Hostages & MIssing Families Forum, one of the organizers of the event, said it has been working around the clock since the Oct. 7 onslaught.

“Today is a critical day, like every day, but today feels even more critical because the families of the hostages and missing are coming especially from Israel, and they are going coming in the hope that the world will act more drastically and in a way wake up,” said Naama Keha, a volunteer with the group.

“We know the nature of Hamas. We know it’s a barbaric terrorist organization, so this is to support the families coming from Israel, and also to show the United Nations, the world leaders … all the organizations that need to be more active, and show them that we won’t be silent, we won’t sit still,” Keha said.