The United Nations Security Council convened for a session on the Middle East, where Michael Levy, the brother of Hamas hostage Or Levy, delivered a poignant plea for action. Speaking through a video message, Levy detailed the anguish his family has endured and called on the council to fulfill its humanitarian duty.

“For 439 days, my family has lived in fear, anguish, and an unbearable silence that echoes louder than any words ever could,” Levy began. He described his brother Or as more than just a statistic: “He is a real human being. A father to an amazing three-year-old son named Almog, who lost his mother in the horrendous terror attack of October 7th and is now essentially orphaned.”

Levy painted a heartbreaking picture of Almog’s confusion and longing: “Imagine not knowing if your child is okay and who is taking care of him. Almog keeps asking about mom and dad, and even when we try to explain, he doesn’t understand why he can’t see his dad, and what it means when we say that mom will never come back. This baby still has a father, a father who can come back to him. Do not let him become an orphan. You have the power to save his father.”

In a powerful appeal, Levy urged the Security Council to act not as political figures, but as human beings: “I’m here today to remind this council and the world of its duty. Not just as diplomats, but as people, as mothers, fathers, siblings, and friends. Because this is not merely a political issue, this is a human issue, a moral issue. I want to ask every member of this council. What would you do if it was your child? Your brother, your loved one?”

“Hamas’s actions are not just blatant violations of international law. They are an assault on humanity itself. Holding civilians hostage—men, women, children—is a violation of the principles that this very council was created to protect,” he said.

Finally, Levy delivered a stinging critique of the council’s inaction: “And yet your silence is deafening. Your inaction is suffocating. For every day this council fails to act, the message to the world is clear: That some lives are worth saving and others are not.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)