Mother of slain hostage Itay Chen warns that erasing memorials does not erase responsibility

Hagit Chen, the mother of Itay Chen, who was murdered and taken hostage on October 7, spoke at a press conference held by the October Council after Shin Bet chief David Zini ordered the removal of a memorial corner at the headquarters for fallen service members killed on October 7.

Chen said memorializing the dead is not defeatist, and argued that those who bear responsibility must confront the failure every day. She said the point is not to dwell on the past, but to prevent more families from joining the circles of bereavement and hostage-taking.

Addressing Zini directly, she said, “Erasing symbols of remembrance does not erase responsibility.”