Israeli families mourn fallen soldiers and demand release of detainee Tal Dardik

Bereaved father Yehoshua Sokol, whose son Yisrael Sokol was killed in Gaza, joined a public call for the release of Tal Dardik, an Israeli detained under an administrative order signed by Major‑General Avi Bluth. Sokol quoted his son’s opposition to such detentions and urged Defense Minister Yisrael Katz to block the appeal by Central Command and the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office that seeks to keep Dardik detained.

Rabbi Doron Perez, president of the World Zionist Organization, reflected on the loss of his son Capt. Daniel Perez, killed during the Oct 7 Hamas attacks. He spoke about prolonged grief, rising antisemitism, the upcoming Israeli elections and the need for greater Jewish unity, stressing that his son’s actions prevented many further casualties.