She called for understanding for the Palestinian people. There has been no trace of Vivian Silver since the Hamas attack. She is probably in the clutches of the terrorists.
Tel Aviv – Like many people in Israel, Vivian Silver turned to her family and friends when it became clear that Hamas was invading the country. She could hear how members of the radical Islamist terrorist group had broken into her house. When the terrorists stormed her Be’eri settlement not far from the Gaza border on Saturday morning (October 7th), she hid in the closet, she wrote to her relatives via WhatsApp.
Since then there has been no sign of life from the peace activist, who is not without controversy in Israel. Did she fall victim to the terrorists?
Disappeared since Hamas attack – family is certain: peace activist held in Gaza
The Hamas attack hit the Israelis completely unexpectedly. The Terrorists fired dozens of rockets on the neighboring country. On the ground, armed fighters entered the country and massacred settlements in the south, near the border. More than a thousand people were killed, including at least 260 guests at a music festival. Several were taken hostage or kidnapped to Gaza.
In addition to Germans and other foreign citizens, her relatives also suspect Vivian Silver. The 74-year-old native of Canada is one of the best-known peace activists and advocates for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine.
In their own country, some people see them as apostates. Those Israelis who express criticism of their state’s occupation policy, let alone stand up for the dignity of their Palestinian neighbors, are called “Smolani boged” (left-wing traitors).
“I don’t think they killed her,” her son, Yonatan Zeigen, told Australian broadcaster ABC. He was in contact with his mother shortly before her disappearance. If Hamas had wanted to kill his mother, they could have done so right then and there, says Zeigen. He is sure: “They took her to exchange her as a hostage. They need them to extort something”. There are no official reports about this.
“Another heinous war crime” – those close to Israel fear for Israeli activist Silver
The fear that Silver was abducted is also shared by others around her. “Vivian is now a hostage,” said an Instagram post from the Israeli peace organization Women-Wage-Peace, which Silver co-founded after the 2014 Gaza war. Just two days before the Hamas attacks, she took part in the “Woman Wage Peace” march and demonstrated among around 2,000 Israeli and Palestinian like-minded people for peace in the Middle East.
“She was forcibly abducted from her home in Be’eri and is now being held captive by Hamas in Gaza,” writes Canadian human rights lawyer Irwin Cotler on X (Twitter). The taking hostage of a civilian who was committed to building peace and helping women and children was “another heinous war crime by Hamas,” said the lawyer.
Israel’s ground offensive – what will happen to the Hamas hostages?
In her 20s, Silver moved to Israel after spending a year in Jerusalem during her college years. Since then she has been committed to human rights, especially those of women. “She dedicated her life to helping the people of Palestine,” Cotler writes. For example, she took in sick Palestinian children and brought them to Israel for medical care.
Many Palestinians are shocked by the news of Silver’s disappearance, like a member of their own family, explains Aziz Abu Sarah with an American Palestinian NBC News. “I hope that the people in her control realize what a wonderful person she is,” said Abu Sarah.
It is uncertain whether Silver is still alive. Military experts fear that in the event of an Israeli ground offensive, Hamas could kill the hostages. However, it has not been officially confirmed that she is in Gaza. The motives for the terrorists taking hostages are also still unknown. The terrorist group’s primary political goal is the “liberation” of all of Palestine and thus the dissolution of Israel as an independent state.
Many are certain that they do not want peace between the states. The question arises what this means for a peace activist in the hands of Hamas; if she is still alive and in the control of the terrorist group. (rku)
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