Family of missing 9-year-old Haimanot Kassa calls public march in Tel Aviv

The campaign to bring back Haimanot Kassa and her family said a mass march and rally will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, June 24, in Tel Aviv, marking 850 days since her disappearance. The event, organized with public participation, is meant to renew attention on the 9-year-old girl, who was last seen at the absorption center in Safed in February 2024.

The headquarters behind the effort said Israelis should not accept a young child’s disappearance without clear answers from the authorities, even though heavy traffic is expected across the Gush Dan area. It urged the public to come out and support the family.

The schedule begins at 6:00 p.m. with a gathering at Tel Aviv Savidor Center railway station, followed by a march at 6:30 p.m. toward Hostages Square. At 7:10 p.m., there will be a special media statement and the rally will begin at the square.

Haimanot’s older sister, Yeros Kassa, said the event had already been delayed once, after being planned two weeks ago. “This morning we debated whether to postpone again because of the big protest, and we told ourselves that this cannot be postponed, simply no, because we already delayed it and there is no end to it,” she said. She added, “I hope the community, our people, will understand what the family is going through.” Kassa said the family came to Israel five years ago, and two years later Haimanot was abducted. “The family cannot understand what else it needs to do so that we are heard, so that we are seen, so that people feel with us the pain we feel,” she said, adding that public turnout would give them “a lot of strength.”

Speakers at the rally are expected to include Haimanot’s father, Tesfaye Kassa, who will speak in Amharic, with Avihai Brodets translating; Yeros Kassa; model and media personality Titi Aynaw; Ayelet Goldin; Bat Sheva Yahalomi; attorney Dror Matityahu; and Daniel Mehret.