New York City’s TIME100 Gala bore witness to an extraordinary moment of courage as Noa Argamani, recently freed after 245 days as a Hamas hostage, delivered a speech that silenced the room with its raw urgency. Her appearance—just months after surviving the October 7, 2023 Nova Music Festival massacre—wasn’t just a personal triumph but a searing call to action for the 59 hostages still in captivity, including her partner, Avinatan Or.

The Weight of Survival

On the red carpet, Argamani’s quiet strength was palpable as she reflected on visiting the traveling Nova Exhibition, which memorializes the attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war.

“It was too much to handle. Too much to carry,” she admitted, her voice steady but her eyes betraying the trauma. Yet she insisted on bearing witness: “You must see it. You must remember.”

Her words cut deeper as she revealed the agonizing unknowns of captivity:

• Relentless questions about Avinatan’s fate met with silence from her captors
• The psychological torture of uncertainty: “I didn’t want to know if he was dead. That answer would have destroyed me.”
• A release that feels incomplete: “How can I heal when Avinatan and the others are still there?”

“I Will Fight With Everything I Have”

Chosen as one of the few honorees to speak at the gala, Argamani transformed the glittering podium into a bully pulpit for the forgotten. Her message to the room’s influencers—from politicians to CEOs—was unflinching:

“Use your voices. Make sure the world doesn’t look away.”

The plea resonated powerfully with attendees like Doug Emhoff, who hailed her as “the embodiment of Jewish resilience,” and ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt, who later called her “one of the most inspiring souls I’ve ever encountered.”

Why This Moment Transcends Celebrity

In a night typically devoted to achievement and influence, Argamani’s presence was a solemn reminder:

✔ Hostages aren’t headlines—they’re sisters, brothers, lovers whose absence leaves gaping wounds
✔ Freedom is collective—no one is truly free until all come home
✔ The power of platforms—when stars and leaders refuse to let tragedy fade from view

Final Thought

As the gala’s champagne flowed, Argamani’s truth lingered: Celebration means little without justice. Her fight continues—and now, she’s commanding the world to join it.

Will you amplify her call? 🕊️ Share this story to #BringThemHomeNow.