From the Liveblog of
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Netanyahu’s wife urges Pope Francis to demand release of all hostages in Gaza
Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, writes an open letter to Pope Francis, asking him for his “personal intervention” in the plight of the 129 hostages held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza since being kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.
“Your Holiness, I ask for your personal intervention in this matter. Please use your influence to demand the unconditional release all the hostages without delay,” she writes. “Please also call on the Red Cross to demand to visit all the hostages at once and deliver them vital medicine. So far, the Red Cross has failed to insist on these deliverables. You intervention could tilt the balance and save precious lives.”
Netanyahu specifically highlights the plight of 25-year-old abductee Noa Argamani, whose kidnapping was captured in harrowing video footage.
“Noa was snatched from a peaceful music festival that turned into a Hamas-perpetrated bloodbath. The terror in her eyes, captured on camera during her abduction, is palpable,” she says.
“Noa’s mother, born in China, is battling stage four brain cancer. In a video message, she said, ‘I don’t know how much time I have left. I wish for the chance to see my Noa at home. Noa, I want to tell you if I don’t see you, please know we did everything we could to get you released fast. The whole world loves you.'”
