Stockholm manifestation remembers hostages two years after Hamas attack
Two years after the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, a manifestation at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm highlighted the people still held hostage in Gaza. Participants shared personal stories and demanded their release amid the ongoing conflict. The event was organized by groups including Miff and Bring them home Stockholm.
The manifestation at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm took place on October 7, 2025, exactly two years after the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023. The purpose was to keep the memory of the hostages alive, many of whom have been captive in tunnels and other places in Gaza for two years. Ulf Cahn from the organization Miff, Med Israel för fred, which organized the event with Bring them home Stockholm, emphasized that the events of October 7 have almost been forgotten in the shadow of the Gaza war.
"There is far too little talk about those who have been sitting in tunnels and other places in Gaza for two years now. It is important that we remember them and stand up for them," said Ulf Cahn.
He also described the constant trauma that Jews and Israelis live with since the attack: "We Jews and Israelis live with a constant trauma since October 7, 2023. It is also difficult to express it publicly; it requires enormous security measures for us to organize something like this."
Dean Assis, 22, who moved to Sweden from Israel six months ago, participated and spoke about his friend Bar Kuperstein, a security guard and medic at the festival that was attacked. Kuperstein is alive and has appeared in videos published by Hamas a couple of months ago. "He looks very weak and pale, and as if he has been physically injured. I hope he will be released and get to come home soon," said Assis.
Lisbet Magnusson, 75, who rarely attends manifestations, was present: "They should have been released long ago. Above all, pressure should be put on Hamas. Instead, many think we should put pressure on Israel, but it is Hamas that caused this."
Ulf Cahn also commented on the situation for civilians in Gaza: "It is terrible, of course it is terrible. War is terrible. But one must think about why there is war; it is due to something that happened two years ago when thousands of people took Jews from their homes."
The same evening, another manifestation was planned at Sergels torg in support of Swedish Palestine activists recently flown home from Israeli prison. Cahn suspected the organizers want to replace Israel with something else: "They do not really want peace or a ceasefire with Israel; they want to replace Israel with something other than what it is now."