The war in Gaza cast a long shadow over the annual Jerusalem Pride Parade as hostage families led swaths of marchers throughout the city on Thursday afternoon, chanting for LGBTQ equality and the return of the 121 Hamas-held captives in Gaza. This year, the Jerusalem Open House which runs the parade, collaborated with the local branch of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, letting relatives of Hamas-held captives take the spotlight to draw attention to the plight of their loved ones. “This is not a normal year, and from the despair and pain, one central truth has become clear: the cure for pain, sorrow and loss is community,” Open House CEO Nilli Maderer told the crowd gathered on the lawn of Independence Park after the march reached its destination.
“Just as we have the responsibility to fight for our rights as an LGBTQ+ community, we also have a moral duty to fight for the release of the hostages,” she continued. Organizers said that 10,000 people attended the Jerusalem march — a major decrease from last year’s 30,000-person turnout. Some 2,000 police officers and Border Police kept the area under tight security, closing off neighboring roads and allowing entry and exit at only a few spots along the route to Independence Park.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir briefly stopped by the march, as it was about to set out from Liberty Bell Park. Up until several years ago, Ben Gvir would regularly lead counter-protests against Jerusalem Pride. This was t.