Jerusalem, October 29th – Over 1,000 leading experts from various fields, including social work, psychology, criminology, law, medicine, and public policy, have joined their voices to urgently call upon the international community to take immediate action in securing the release of Israeli abducted children. The experts believe that every moment that passes increases the risk of irreversible damage to the lives of these innocent children.
Click here to read the letter: https://tinyurl.com/3h3dapf9
Prominent figures among the signatories include:
- Prof. Jack Shonkoff, a renowned Professor of Child Health and Development at Harvard University.
- Prof. Judith Lewis Herman, a distinguished expert in Trauma at Harvard School of Medicine and author of “Trauma and Recovery.”
- Prof. Edward Tronick, a leading authority in developmental psychology and mother-child interactions.
- Prof. Alicia Liberman, a world-leading psychologist in childhood trauma from the University of California, San Francisco.
- Prof. Charles Zina, the Chair of Psychiatry at Tulane University, specializing in infant, child, and adolescent mental health.
- Prof. Astrid Berg, President of the World Association of Infant Mental Health at the University of Cape Town.
- Prof. Avshalom Caspi, a globally recognized Israeli-American psychologist at Duke University, known for groundbreaking studies on childhood violence’s effects on development.
- Prof. Eli Leibowitz, a world-leading expert in child anxiety at Yale School of Medicine.
These experts hail from a diverse range of countries, including Israel, the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, South Africa, Germany, Holland, Italy, Norway, Brazil, and Argentina. Many of them hold positions in esteemed institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Duke, Columbia, and UCL.
In their impassioned letter addressed to world leaders, the international community, and UN Secretary-General, the experts stress the critical need for the immediate release of the kidnapped children. They highlight the detrimental and potentially irreparable consequences that the children’s current situation poses to their lives. The abducted children have been subjected to witnessing horrific and murderous acts, and their current circumstances further imperil their physical and mental well-being.
The letter is a collaborative effort between a group of Israeli academics and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
For further information, contact:
- Prof. Tali Gal, Faculty of Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Danae Marx – Spokesperson, Hebrew University, +972-52-4334557, danaemc@savion.huji.ac.il
- Dr. Cigal Knei Paz, School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, +972 54-559-4108
- Prof. Naama Atzaba-Poria. Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Shmuel Dovrat – Spokesperson, Ben-Gurion University
+972-54-465-5857 - Prof. Tirtsa Joels, Department of Psychology, Haifa University. Ilan Yavelberg – Spokesperson – University of Haifa +972-52-866-6404
- Liat Bell Sommer, Spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum headquarters, +972-50-3515955
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum swiftly emerged within 24 hours following the horrific event on October 7th, where thousands of innocent civilians were ruthlessly murdered and taken captive by Hamas. This dedicated volunteer-driven forum has a singular mission: reuniting the hostages with their families. The forum provides comprehensive support to affected families, combining both emotional and professional assistance to aid them in their unwavering quest to bring their loved ones back home. With a formidable presence comprising thousands of volunteers and supporters, the forum comprises not only friends and family members but also prominent figures from the realms of security, law, media, and diplomacy.