Dozens walk around Lake Harriet with empty strollers to plea for all Gaza hostages to be released
MINNEAPOLIS — On weekends, no matter the temperature, the walking paths along Lake Harriet, in south Minneapolis, are always packed, but this Sunday morning there was a group that stood out.
"We got a few 'Woo-Hoo's,' we got a few car honks," Inbal Shaul said, who was one of more than 40 people walking around Lake Harriet, with an empty stroller.
Instead of children in their strollers, passersby could see posters of those still missing in Gaza, including children and elderly people.
"We are very happy we got some of the kidnapped back, but we want all of them back. There's close to 200 kidnapped," Daniella Cherrill, one of the participating walkers, said.
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"It's really important that we don't forget about them because they're human beings," Shaul said.
Shaul and Cherrill are Israeli but live in Minnesota now. Despite the distance from this war, they participate in this walk to honor their loved ones in the Middle East.
"I think we all feel like we know them and they're all a part of our family. As an Israeli, as a Jewish person, we all feel connected, like we're one people," Shaul said.
Rhona Shwaid is another one of the dozens of people who showed up to walk on Sunday.
"[I walk] for the mothers who cannot walk their children in their strollers because they're held in captivity," Shwaid said.
While their reason for being together is a painful one, they say being together is what helps them heal.
"I'm not alone here. I have a community, someone that cares," Shaul said.
This was the second walk this group has done in the last two weeks. Their hope is they won't have to have another as all hostages will be released in the coming days.