Families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas make emotional plea to U.S., Israeli leaders

Sheri Walsh
·4 min read
6
American-Israeli families whose loved ones are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza told reporters Tuesday at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel that they have received "zero communication" from the U.S. and Israeli governments. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
American-Israeli families whose loved ones are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza told reporters Tuesday at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel that they have received "zero communication" from the U.S. and Israeli governments. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

Oct. 10 (UPI) -- American families of those missing in Israel after weekend attacks by Hamas are pleading with the U.S. and Israeli governments to rescue their loved ones, saying they have received "zero communication" since the attacks.

"I want to bring forward the responsibility that the Israeli government has to bring back all the hostages," Nahar Neta, whose mother was kidnapped, told reporters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. "And it is our hope, which is a little bit ridiculous to say, that the optimistic scenario here is she is held hostage in Gaza and not dead on the street of the kibbutz where we grew up."

"I don't think it is my place to tell the policymakers and decision-makers how to go about this process," Neta said. "I care about the result and the result that I care about is for my mom to come home and for me to be able to hug her. I trust these people to do what they need to do in order for that to happen."

The families, some of which are from New York and Connecticut, blasted the U.S. and Israeli governments for failing to contact them three days after the attacks.

"Zero communication from the Israeli government, zero communication on our side," Neta added.

American-Israeli families whose loved ones are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza speak Tuesday at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
American-Israeli families whose loved ones are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza speak Tuesday at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

"I'm here with my family, my two sisters, who grew up in New York City," said Rubi Chen, whose 19-year-old son Itay Chen is being held hostage.

"Please do not just think of us as that headline, we are people, we are families, who want to be back families again," Chen said.

American-Israeli fathers (L-R) Jonathan Dekel-Chen and Rubi Chen, whose sons, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, and Itay Chen, 19, were taken hostage by Hamas on the Gaza border wait for a press conference Tuesday in Tel Aviv, Israel. Rubi Chen said the U.S. "has the power to do more" to rescue the hostages. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
American-Israeli fathers (L-R) Jonathan Dekel-Chen and Rubi Chen, whose sons, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, and Itay Chen, 19, were taken hostage by Hamas on the Gaza border wait for a press conference Tuesday in Tel Aviv, Israel. Rubi Chen said the U.S. "has the power to do more" to rescue the hostages. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

The U.S. "has the power, it has the resources, it has the influence to do more," he added, saying the U.S. cannot "take a back seat."

"We heard from a person from here in the Tel Aviv Embassy, but beyond taking note that we filled out forms and defined him as missing, there's been no formal communication to me as an individual or to us as a group communicating what they know, what they plan to do," Chen said.

Photos of American-Israelis Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, and Itay Chen, 19, who are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, are displayed Tuesday for a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
Photos of American-Israelis Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, and Itay Chen, 19, who are missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, are displayed Tuesday for a press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

Rachel Goldberg, who also said she has yet to receive a "formal communication" from the White House, said the last words she heard from her son was that he loved her and was "sorry."

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was among hundreds at a music festival Saturday when Hamas militants killed 260 people and took an unknown number of hostages. Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, also launched an assault on Israeli military positions and other civilian areas.

American-Israelis (L-R) Rachel Goldberg and Jonathan Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, is missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza say they have yet to hear a "formal communication" from the White House. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI
American-Israelis (L-R) Rachel Goldberg and Jonathan Polin, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, is missing and believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza say they have yet to hear a "formal communication" from the White House. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

At least 900 Israelis were killed, according to the Israeli military, and at least 830 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip in attacks by the Israeli military.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden told reporters at the White House, that his administration is currently working with Israel to recover the hostages.

"I've directed by team to share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts, because, as president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world."