Likud Candidate’s Facebook Remark Sparks Outrage Ahead of Elections

Likud Knesset candidate Itzik Bunzel posted a sharply worded comment on Facebook in response to former hostage Yocheved Lifshitz. In the post he wrote, “I wish there was a way to turn the wheel back and return you to Hamas.” The remark was directed at Lifshitz’s criticism of the government’s handling of the Gaza-hostage crisis and quickly drew condemnation from the public and political figures.

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Lifshitz, who survived 17 days of captivity after being taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, told Channel 13 that “the truth is that Miriam Adelson bought us with a hundred million dollars that she gave to Trump and told him you would return all the captives, and that’s what happened.” She added that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, it would be “a disaster for the country.” Lifshitz also accused Netanyahu of abandoning her, her husband Oded, and 45 other hostages taken alive, and of ignoring intelligence warnings that could have averted the October 7 massacre.

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The exchange has become a flashpoint in the upcoming Knesset election campaign. Critics argue the incident highlights a broader disconnect between political leaders and families of hostages, while supporters of Bunzel stress his personal loss and the emotional intensity of his initial comment. Lifshitz has invited the public to a rally at Hostage Square, urging citizens to hold “all those responsible” to account.

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• “I wish there was a way to turn the wheel back and return you to Hamas.” — Itzik Bunzel

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• “The truth is that Miriam Adelson bought us with a hundred million dollars that she gave to Trump and told him you would return all the captives, and that's what happened.” — Yocheved Lifshitz, to captivity survivor

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