Hostages and Missing Families Forum Founded

Families of the 251 hostages taken on October 7 established the Hostages and Missing Families Forum on October 8, becoming the primary civil-society advocacy group for the hostages' return. The Forum organized weekly protests at the Tel Aviv headquarters of the IDF, met with foreign governments, and coordinated international media campaigns. Their yellow chair installations became a global symbol of the crisis — one empty chair for each hostage. The Forum frequently criticized Netanyahu's government for prioritizing military operations over hostage deals.