Gal Gadot got choked up as she stood at a gala podium Thursday night and requested that a crowd of 1,300 assembled by United Hatzalah of Israel remember the hostages being held in captivity since Nova Music Festival massacre on Oct. 7.
“As we stand here tonight, we cannot forget the 48 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza,” offered Gadot, fighting back tears as seen in a video from the event. “Their safe return must remain our urgent prayer and our shared missions.”
The comments and the emotional moment came after the Wonder Woman and Snow White star called it a “true privilege” to be in the room, “supporting a cause that reflects best the set of beliefs of the Jewish people.” United Hatzalah is an Israeli volunteer-based emergency medical services organization that provides on the ground response teams for those in need. “At its heart, this is about compassion, about choosing life, about showing up for one another in moments of need.”
Gadot continued: “I was raised with values of kindness, courage and responsibility, values deeply rooted in Judaism. And I see those same values alive every single day in our people who refuse to give in to fear or hate, and instead choose hope, action and humanity. I’ve always believed in the power of peace and coexistence. What moves me most about this organization is how it brings people of all faiths, cultures, and walks of life together in service of one sacred mission — to save lives. Jews, Muslims, Christians, men and women from every background, all united in the moment that matters the most.”
The current moment reflects a sensitive time. As the Gaza conflict rages on, thousands of film workers have joined a pledge organized by Film Workers for Palestine that calls for a boycott of Israeli film institutions “implicated in genocide and apartheid” against the Palestinian people. “At the end of August, the IAGS, the International Association of Genocide Scholars who studied thoroughly the concept of genocide, called what is going on in Gaza today a genocide,” Javier Bardem told The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday of backing the effort. “And that’s why we ask for the commercial and diplomatic blockade and the sanctions on Israel to stop this genocide. Free Palestine.”
But Gadot didn’t wade into the matter deeply at the podium. Instead, she turned her attention toward her mission for the evening, honoring Nova Music Festival survivor and Eurovision star Yuval Raphael. Gadot presented the singer with a Hero Award from United Hatzalah.
“Tonight we honor someone who embodies so much strength,” Gadot noted. “Yuval could have been defined by tragedy, but instead, she transformed her pain into purpose. And this year she carried Israel’s voice to the world at the 2025 Eurovision song contest. She didn’t just place second; she stood tall for every person who has felt fear, who has endured loss, and reminded us that resilience can shine brighter than hate. Through her voice, she gave millions a reason to hope, to heal and to believe again. In a time of rising division and antisemitism and pain, Yuval reminded us that we are more than what tries to break us. Her strength teaches us that even in the darkest night, a new day is always possible.”
Gadot at the United Hatzalah gala on Sept. 19, 2025. Of United Hatzalah, she said, “Those flashes of orange vests racing by on and cyclists are a familiar sight. To most it’s just a glare but to someone in crisis, it’s everything. The difference between despair and hope, between fear and the chance to begin again.“
Courtesy of United Hatzalah of Israel
Sunny Sassoon, Rick Caruso, Gadot, Raphael, Eli Beer and Mark Gerson. The gala was chaired by Caruso and Sassoon with additional honors going to Shaun Maguire of Sequoia Capital with the Am Yisrael Award for his support of Israel.
Courtesy of United Hatzalah of Israel
Gadot, center, and her husband Jaron Varsano, second from right, pose with United Hatzalah president Eli Beer and members of his family.
Courtesy of United Hatzalah of Israel
