Thousands of Israelis lined the streets to mourn the Bibases, who were taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and had become a symbol of the country’s trauma.

I remember the first time I said “mi amor” to you. It was at the very beginning of our relationship. You told me to only call you that if I was certain I loved you, not to say it carelessly. I didn’t say it then because I didn’t want you to think I was rushing to say “I love you.