On December 14, 2025, the glow of the first Hanukkah candle in Israel was more than just a symbol of hope—it was a poignant reminder of loss, resilience, and the ongoing struggle for closure. At the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal gathered with the family of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, whose body remains in Gaza, held by Hamas. They were joined by freed hostages, including Keith and Aviva Siegel, Matan Angrest, Shlomi Ziv, Noralin Babadilla, Margalit Mozes, Clara Merman, Moran Stella Yanai, and Gabriella and Mia Lemberg, as reported by The Times of Israel. The event marked the first night of the eight-day festival and was imbued with both solemnity and hope.
President Herzog’s address captured the gravity of the moment, reflecting on the two-year campaign waged by hostage families since the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023. He told those assembled, “I had the immense privilege of being the address that many of you turned to for conversations, to cry, and for hope in moments of brokenness and in moments of pride.” Herzog honored Ran Gvili, a police officer who “fell heroically in battle on October 7,” noting, “800 days later, Ran is now the last hostage still being held by murderous terrorists in Gaza.” Herzog called for the immediate release and return of Gvili’s remains, declaring, “We renew our call for Ran to be released immediately and returned home to his dear family for dignified burial!”
The first candle of Hanukkah, Herzog said, was to be a “candle of remembrance, for all the deceased hostages who will remain engraved on the hearts of the people for generations to come.” The event was not just about remembrance but also about unity and the shared pain and determination of a nation still grappling with the aftermath of the October 7 attacks.
Later that evening, another candle lighting ceremony took place at the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh. This time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir joined Gvili’s family. Netanyahu’s words were a mixture of promise and defiance: “We will return Rani, just as we returned 254 of the 255 hostages.” He acknowledged the skepticism that surrounded the government’s efforts, stating, “There were those who did not believe that Israel would bring the hostages back. I believe. My colleagues in the government believed. They said, ‘It will be a miracle.’ I said, ‘This nation creates miracles.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, helps a people who help themselves.”
Netanyahu also addressed the recent terror attack in Sydney, Australia, where at least 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach. He criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s policies and warned of the potential for further attacks, saying, “The safe place for Jews around the world is where the government, the army, and the security forces protect them — first and foremost in Israel, because we defend ourselves.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, speaking after Netanyahu, focused on a controversial legislative proposal. He discussed a bill, promoted by his Otzma Yehudit party, which would mandate the death penalty for non-Jewish terrorists. Ben Gvir asserted, “A state that respects life must say to those who harm its citizens — their blood is on their own heads.”
Police Chief Danny Levy, also present at the Beit Shemesh event, struck a more hopeful note. He described the first Hanukkah candle as a “candle of hope,” dedicating it to Gvili and his family, and called it a “prayer for the return of a hero of Israel.”
Across Israel, similar candle lighting ceremonies unfolded in cities such as Haifa, Zichron Yaakov, and Kfar Saba, each one honoring Ran Gvili and amplifying the call for the return of his body. The collective gatherings underscored a nationwide sense of solidarity and a refusal to forget those still missing or unreturned.
Meanwhile, the security situation in the region remained tense. On December 13, 2025, an Israeli airstrike killed Raad Saad, a senior Hamas official and head of the group’s weapons manufacturing division. According to The Times of Israel, Saad had been involved in terror activities for over 30 years and was one of the architects of the October 7 attack. His death was seen as a significant blow to Hamas’s military wing.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed Israeli troops at a Hanukkah candle lighting in northern Israel, reflecting on the military’s ongoing operations. He stated, “Yesterday, we eliminated Raad Saad, one of the senior figures of the military wing of the Hamas terror organization, who led and carried out terror activities for more than 30 years and was one of the architects of the October 7 attack.” Zamir noted that Saad’s efforts to restore and rebuild Hamas’s forces were a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.” He also pointed out that, “within a short period,” Israel had killed both Hezbollah’s military chief and Hamas’s head of weapons production. “We will not allow the enemy to build up its capabilities and will respond to any violation of the agreement. Our policy is clear, on all fronts, and here in Lebanon as well, we will continue to act and thwart threats as they emerge,” Zamir emphasized.
In a gesture of international goodwill, Indian President Droupadi Murmu extended Hanukkah greetings to President Herzog and the global Jewish community. According to official statements, Murmu’s message on December 14, 2025, was a sign of solidarity with Israel and Jews worldwide during a time of both celebration and mourning.
The intersection of grief and hope was palpable throughout Israel as communities came together for Hanukkah. The festival, which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple and the miracle of the oil, has always been about light in the face of darkness. This year, that symbolism felt especially potent. The families of hostages, government officials, and ordinary citizens alike found themselves united—not just in ritual, but in a shared yearning for closure and safety.
As the first candle burned, the story of Ran Gvili and the other hostages remained at the forefront of the nation’s consciousness. The government’s promises, the military’s actions, and the community’s prayers all converged in a collective hope that next Hanukkah, the circle of loss might finally be closed, and the light might shine a little brighter for all.
