Eden Golan, who represented Israel at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, performed her song "October Rain" without the edits required by Eurovision on Saturday night at a Tel Aviv rally organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. The gathering aimed to garner global attention and rally other countries to pressure Hamas into releasing the 128 hostages still held in Gaza.
"This is the first time I am singing onstage after returning from Eurovision," Golan told the crowd gathered at what has been named Hostage Square. "I wanted to do it on this stage, in this square. I wanted to sing 'October Rain' tonight and it is my prayer to bring everyone home. I will not stop making our voice heard in Israel and in the world, until everyone returns home," she said.
The song, which includes lyrics referencing the hostages and those killed by Hamas, was originally written for the Eurovision contest in Switzerland earlier this month. However, the European Broadcasting Union disqualified it for having political messaging. Golan finished fifth place at the international competition with a reworded version titled "Hurricane." Her performance was marred by animosity from other contestants, booing from some audience members, and anti-Israel rallies outside the venue in Malmo, Sweden, over the ongoing war in Gaza. Despite the protests, Golan remained determined, vowing not to be held back.
The song "October Rain" includes lyrics such as I promise you that never again.../Writers of history stand with me/People go away but never say goodbye.../I'm still wet from the October rain and a final section in Hebrew translated to: There is no air left to breathe.../They were all good kids, every one of them – believed to be a reference to those killed by Hamas on October 7.
