Prayer for Israel hostages in Gaza held during blessing at Jerusalem's Western Wall

(25 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
Jerusalem - 25 April 2024
1. Man holding a Torah scroll and turning around, worshippers touching it
2. Man in white prayer shawl praying
3. Worshippers at Western Wall during traditional Priestly blessing
4. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Sigi Cohen, mother of Eliya Cohen, held hostage in Gaza:
"I came to the big and powerful Priestly blessing that was held here because Eliya can't say the Priestly Blessing because he is in Gaza right now. And this Priestly blessing is so much more important this year because of the special Passover that we are in when there are still 133 hostages that are in Gaza waiting to be saved. And we are waiting for the heroic soldiers to enter, to bring them and return them to us, safe and sound in body and soul."
5. Various of attendees holding up poster of hostage Eliya Cohen
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Meir Indor, retired officer:
"There is a big change this year, we have hostages that were brutally kidnapped by Hamas and there is no question, it's on our shoulders to release them. Part of that, although I'm an officer, is praying for God, that's the reason why hundreds of thousands of people prayed here for them."
7. Various of prayer for hostages
STORYLINE:
Worshippers held a traditional Priestly Blessing at Jerusalem's Western Wall on Thursday dedicated to the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Sigi Cohen, the mother of hostage Eliya Cohen, told the AP that “this Priestly blessing is so much more important this year because of the special Passover that we are in when there are still 133 hostages that are in Gaza waiting to be saved.”
The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. A one week cease-fire in November saw the release of around 100 Israeli hostages in exchange for a larger number Palestinian prisoners.
Video by Alon Bernstein
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel [phone] Email: [e-mail].
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...