Noa Argamani addresses the supporters in hostages’ square tonight, in a recorded message, for first time since her rescue “I’m home now, but we can not forget the hostages that are still being held captive in Gaza, waiting for their return”. pic.twitter.com/ARtR5lwJ4s
— Bring Them Home Now (@bringhomenow) June 29, 2024
Rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani speaks out for first time, says ‘biggest worry’ in captivity was for her terminally ill mother, dad
Rescued Israeli hostage Noa Argamani revealed her “biggest worry” during her eight months in captivity was for her parents as she spoke publicly for the first time about the horrifying ordeal on Saturday.
Argamani, a 26-year-old China-born Israeli citizen, was abducted by Hamas terrorists at the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7 and was held captive in the Gaza Strip for 246 days before she was rescued.
“As an only child to my parents, and a child to a mother with a terminal illness, my biggest worry in captivity was for my parents,” Argamani said in a video released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“It is a great privilege to be here after 246 days in Hamas Captivity. It is great privilege to be by my mother’s side after eight months of uncertainty,” she said.
The two-minute video was played at a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday calling for the return of the remaining hostages.
Argamani’s mother, Liora, is fighting an advanced form of brain cancer and was worried she wouldn’t see her daughter again before losing her battle.
In December, she pleaded for President Biden and the US to help rescue her daughter,
“I am terminally ill with stage 4 brain cancer,” Liora wrote in a letter to Biden. “All that’s running through my mind before I part ways with my family forever is the chance to hug my daughter, my only child, one last time.”
In the video message, Argamani said that her partner, Avinatan Or, remained captive in Gaza.
“I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone that there are 120 more hostages in Hamas captivity, and among them is Avinatan Or, my partner from whom I was separated at the moment of the abduction.”
Or was seen being manhandled by Hamas terrorists in a video during the attack at the music festival, where Hamas slaughtered 364 civilians, as his girlfriend was rushed away on the back of a gunman’s motorcycle.
Argamani feared that she was going to be killed when the terrorists stormed the music festival.
“Don’t kill me! No, no, no!” Argamani can be heard screaming in the video, which has become the symbol of the terrorist attack on the Jewish state.
“Although I’m at home now, we cannot forget the hostages who are still in Hamas captivity, and we must do everything that’s possible to bring them back home.”
Argamani thanked the Israeli security forces and army who were a part of the daring operation that rescued her from the apartment of a well-off family in central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp.
“I mourn with the family of Amon Zamora, who fell during the rescue operation of myself and three other hostages. My heart is with his family. Amon is a hero of Israel and because of him, we are here,” she said.
Operation Arnon, the name given to the mission that brought Argamani back to Israel, also rescued Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv.
“A huge thank you to my family and friends, and everyone who voiced out when we couldn’t speak. I’m grateful to all the wonderful people who supported my family during the difficult times.”
After her rescue, Argamani reunited with her father, Yakov, as the duo embraced in a tearful hug.
The father-daughter pair were also caught on camera smiling and sharing a pair of Coca-Colas in a hospital room in the Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv.
“I wish for all of us to have more peaceful days, quieter days, that to be surrounded by family, friends and good people,” she said.
“Most importantly, may we learn to love and not hate,” Argamani concluded.
