The Embassy of Israel in the Philippines is encouraging Filipinos, especially bike enthusiasts, to join the global initiative by the Israeli professional cycling team Israel – Premier Tech, together with The Hostage and Missing Families Forum and the Israeli Cycling Federation, to hold a mass solidarity ride around the world to mark the 100th day since the October 7 attacks and the kidnapping of hundreds of people to Gaza by Hamas.
Cyclists everywhere are being encouraged to go for a ride on January 14 with yellow ribbons tied to their bikes, and to upload photos of their rides to social media with the hashtag #RideToBringThemHomeNow.
Chris Froome, the legendary four-time Tour de France winner, considered one of the greatest cyclists in history, has joined the campaign, calling on his millions of fans and the entire global cycling community to support Israel and to dedicate their ride to calling for the release of the hostages.
“As a human being, as a father myself, I cannot stand idly by,” Froome said. He explained he was moved to action by the story of the Kalderon family, whose father Ofer and 12-year-old son Erez, both cyclists, were abducted on October 7. The son, Erez, was released after 51 days in captivity, but his father is still being held by Hamas.
“Their suffering and that of all the other hostages deeply affects me, and I call on all cyclists to come out for a solidarity ride that day—just as I will myself—in the hope that this show of support will bring them closer to returning home,” Froome added.
For his part, Israel – Premier Tech team Owner Sylvan Adams said, “I hope January 14 will become a day of freedom. It will be a call from those who believe in human values to free those children, women, the elderly, and adults who were taken as hostages by the Hamas terrorists in complete contradiction to every human norm. Our freedom ride showcases our values of sportsmanship and fairness in contrast to the brutality of Hamas. I hope that a massive number of people join us internationally in this ride for freedom. Am Yisrael Chai.”
Thanking Froom and the Israel – Premier Tech team for their support and for the initiative to unite the global cycling community, Erez Kalderon’s mother Hadas Kalderon said, “This is an incredibly important show of support. Erez regained his freedom, but his father and all the other hostages are still languishing there. Erez deserves to be reunited with his father, to have the opportunity to ride with him like any father and son. He is waiting for him. And we have no time to lose. Every moment that passes for him and the other hostages in Hamas captivity is critical.”
In Israel, the main riding event will take place at the Velodrome in Tel Aviv, where 133 family members of the hostages and cyclists from the Israeli cycling community, representing each of the hostages, will encircle the cycling stadium.
With over 240 captured on October 7, 133 individuals, including women and children, are still being held by Hamas, with the harrowing testimonies of released hostages causing great distress among many family members whose loved ones remain captive.
“Since October 7, I have not had a day or night, just a continuous nightmare,” said Shai Benjamin, daughter of 57-year-old cyclist Ron Benjamin, who was taken hostage while out for his Saturday ride. “Everything haunts me. Thoughts of what they are doing to him there. How he manages to survive. How can I sleep when I have no idea if my father can sleep at all? When I want to eat, I am tormented by the question of whether he is starving there. And why do I deserve to cover myself with a blanket when he might be cold?”
Shai expressed hope that the international cycling event would garner support among a public that could easily identify with her father’s fate and story. “I ask them to stop and think for a moment. My father was abducted, and his world and our family’s world were destroyed when he went out to ride his bicycle. That was his only ‘sin.’ What if it happened to them?”
