Israel’s Eurovision Contestant Performs Original Song for Hostage Families

Eden Golan, Israel's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest, delivered a poignant performance of her original song in Hostages Square on Saturday night. Thousands of supporters gathered to advocate for the release of those still held captive by Hamas.

“This is the first time I’m singing after returning from the Eurovision [song contest],” Golan told the demonstrators. “I wanted to do it on this stage in this square.”

Emphasizing the urgency of the situation, she continued, “First of all, we are waiting for all our abductees to come home, because there’s no more time left. I really wanted to sing ‘October Rain,’ this is my prayer to bring everyone home now. I will not stop making our voice heard, my voice, in Israel as well as all over the world until we bring everyone home.”

Golan was joined onstage by families of some of the hostages and several of the 86 Israelis who were freed in a deal with Hamas in late November. Additionally, about 20 foreign hostages, mostly Thai agricultural workers, were released in a separate agreement between Bangkok and Iran, Hamas’ primary backers.

Approximately 129 individuals remain in Hamas custody, with the status of many unknown, particularly those with medical conditions who have been without necessary medications for over seven months. Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin recently appeared in a Hamas propaganda video, claiming that 70 of his fellow captives had died due to Israeli airstrikes.

“October Rain,” Golan's original Eurovision entry, was disqualified for its political nature, directly referencing Hamas’ October 7 massacre in Israel. The song's lyrics poignantly described the aftermath of the attack, including lines such as, “There’s no air left to breathe / No place, no me from day to day…. Who told you boys don’t cry/Hours and hours/ and flowers.”

Despite revisions to make the song less explicit, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rejected the second version, “Dance Forever,” and only accepted a third iteration, “Hurricane.” This final version, a love ballad, contained subtle references to the Nova massacre, apparent only in the Israeli video that accompanied it.

Golan finished fifth in the Eurovision contest, largely due to public votes from across Europe, as official national judges scored her performance poorly.

The event featured speeches from the American, British, German, and Austrian ambassadors, all calling for the immediate release of the hostages and placing responsibility on Hamas. American Ambassador Jack Lew highlighted that eight of the hostages are American citizens and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to securing their release.

Contrasting views emerged among the hostages' families. Some blamed the Netanyahu government for the lack of a hostage deal, advocating for compliance with Hamas’ demands, including a total IDF withdrawal from Gaza. Others supported the government's stance that maintaining intense military pressure on Hamas is the best strategy for freeing the hostages.

Stay informed about ongoing developments and support efforts for the hostages by subscribing to our newsletter.