On Wednesday, July 24, Noa Argamani, a mixed Chinese-Israeli who had been kidnapped by Hamas for several months and rescued last month, attended an event at the U.S. Congress.
Noa was one of the Israeli hostages released. She was abducted by Hamas in a terror attack on October 7, 2023, and the video of her being taken spread around the international community.
Wednesday afternoon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited to address a joint session of Congress in the U.S. and mentioned the ordeal of Noa’s family. As Noa sat in the audience, she received continuous applause and standing ovations from the members of Congress.
Noa was rescued by the Israeli military on June 8, standing with a smile in the gallery of the House of Representatives, holding hands tightly as lawmakers and guests showed respect for this young woman who remained strong after her ordeal. Netanyahu’s wife Sarah embraced her.
Netanyahu recounted the details of Noa’s kidnapping, describing the “desperate look” on Noa’s face as armed militants put her on a motorcycle and into the Gaza Strip.
“A few months ago, I met Noa’s mother Liora,” Netanyahu said. “She was dying of cancer at that time. She said to me, ‘Prime Minister, I have one wish. I want to hug my daughter Noa one last time before I die.'”
Netanyahu then described the “heart-pounding rescue operation” that saved Noa and three other Israeli hostages. The Prime Minister’s account of the operation once again garnered applause.
“I think this is one of the most touching things,” Netanyahu continued. “When Noa reunited with her mother Liora, her mother’s final wish came true.”
Liora passed away from brain cancer three weeks after Noa’s rescue.
Last October, when Hamas militants launched attacks and kidnapped hostages inside Israel, Noa was attending the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. In the days and weeks that followed, a short video of her being kidnapped circulated widely on social media platforms, drawing international attention to the hostage situation.
She spent her 26th birthday in captivity.
Noa’s boyfriend, Avinatan Or, was also kidnapped. It is believed that he, along with approximately 100 other hostages, remains trapped in Gaza.
This Israeli leader addressed the U.S. Congress for the first time since the Hamas terror attack. In his speech, he compared the terror attack on October 7 to Pearl Harbor and the 9/11 attacks. Netanyahu is currently facing pressure domestically and internationally to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas.
During the attack on October 7, Hamas and other militant groups abducted around 247 hostages, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have led to over 39,000 deaths, including 210 casualties in the operation to rescue Noa.