Dying mother of Israeli hostage Noa Argamani pleads for her release

The seriously ill mother of an Israeli woman taken hostage by Hamas pleaded for her daughter’s return in a Wednesday video shared by Israel’s government. 

Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old university student, was at the Supernova music festival in the south of Israel when she was abducted and taken into Gaza by Hamas militants. Her mother, Liora Argamani, said in the video she has brain cancer and doesn’t know how much time she has left to see her daughter. 

“I wish for the chance to see my Noa at home,” Liora Argamani said. 

A poster of her daughter could be seen in the background as Liora Argamani asked President Biden and the Red Cross to help bring her daughter home. She also shared a message for her daughter.

“Noa, I want to tell you: if I don’t get to see you, please know that I love you very much,” the mom said in the video on the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Facebook page. “Please know we did everything we could to get you released.”

Video from Oct. 7 shows Noa Argamani yell for help, her arm outstretched, as she is taken away on a motorcycle. Her boyfriend was also taken hostage. 

Argamani’s father, Yaakov, previously told CBS News foreign correspondent Holly Williams that he was in disbelief at the images he saw. 

“She is an amazing person. A sweet child,” he said in Hebrew about his daughter. 

When asked what he wants the Israeli government to do to get his daughter back, Argamani said: “Only by peaceful measures.”

An estimated 240 hostages were captured by Hamas on Oct. 7. Dozens have since been freed during a temporary cease-fire which began last week, including 16 hostages who were released Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement said his goal is still bringing back all the hostages.

Some 210 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons in return for the release of hostages. Wednesday could be the end of the humanitarian pause in fighting, which started on Friday. Talks were being held in Qatar to try to extend the pause even further.