ROAD 232, Israel — On Oct. 7, Romi Gonen was fleeing the Hamas-led attack on a music festival via this dusty road when she was captured by militants and dragged back to Gaza. One-hundred and forty-five days later, on Feb. 28, her mother and dozens of Israelis, whose loved ones were also taken hostage, stopped at that very spot as they made their way to Jerusalem.
The families and their supporters were a few hours into a four-day march demanding the Israeli government reach a deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas that would free the hostages. But this first leg of the journey — through the areas that were attacked on Oct. 7 — was personal.
