Free Republic

Israel has retrieved the body of a Thai national taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack in October 2023, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says. He said the body of Nattapong Pinta was retrieved during a special operation in the Rafah area of southern Gaza on Friday. The 35-year-old was working as an agricultural labourer in southern Israel when he was kidnapped. Mr Nattapong is likely to have been killed during his first months of captivity, an Israeli military official said. Before the operation, it was not known whether he was dead or alive. It comes after the Israeli army recovered...

The bodies of two elderly US-Israeli hostages who had deep ties to New York and were abducted by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack have been recovered over a year after they were confirmed to have been killed in captivity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the remains of Judi Weinstein, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 73, were recovered during a “special operation” conducted by Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, and Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip. “Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families. Our hearts ache for...

Paperwork with the word "USAID" was found in the car of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who's accused of allegedly throwing explosives at a group in Boulder, Colorado, peacefully protesting for the release of Hamas' hostages. The incident happened on Sunday as the pro-Israel group "Run for Their Lives" was protesting on Pearl Street. Boulder police said eight people were injured in the alleged terror attack, adding that they initially received reports of a man setting people on fire. According to an arrest affidavit, law enforcement officials found paperwork with the words "USAID" inside Soliman's 2015 silver Toyota Prius. Other paperwork with...

A hate-fueled suspect launched a “targeted terror attack’’ in Colorado on Sunday — setting at least one woman on fire as he screamed, “End Zionists!” and lobbed molotov cocktails at people commemorating Israeli hostages still in Gaza, officials said. Video footage captured the alleged attacker — who law-enforcement sources identified to The Post as Mohammed Soliman — in the middle of a tirade about Palestine and calling for death to “Zionists” before he tossed the fiery containers. “They are killers! How many children you killed?” he shouted. “End Zionists!” It’s unclear how many people in total were hurt, but cops...

Omer Shem Tov, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, tells Bianna Golodryga how he survived starvation, isolation and mental abuse in Hamas tunnels until his release in February. 24:13 min interview.

SNIP During the interview, Shem Tov also explained why members of Hamas were allegedly rooting for Kamala Harris to win the presidency: SHEM TOV: Yes, it’s him. He got me out. He got the hostages out. Before we we felt like nothing is happening; I remember there, for me there, ever since he came into into the road, they were very scared of him. They wanted - GOLODRYGA: Who? SHEM TOV: Terrorists. GOLODRYGA: Were afraid of Trump? SHEM TOV: Yeah. They wanted Kamala to be chosen. GOLODRYGA: You talked politics with them? SHEM TOV: Yeah, yeah, yeah. They wanted Kamala...

Former hostage Mia Schem has reported that staff at the Cannes film festival confiscated the yellow ribbon she was wearing to show solidarity with the hostages still held in Gaza. The 22-year-old, who has dual Israeli French citizenship, said that security personnel took it from her as soon as she arrived on the red carpet at the 78th annual film festival. “I came to support the struggle to bring back the hostages,” Schem told Israel’s Channel 12 News. “Unfortunately, at the entrance to the red carpet, the festival organisers confiscated the ribbon I was supposed to wear.” She said that...

U2 frontman Bono on Thursday called for Israel to dump Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while urging freedom for the Hamas terrorist group’s hostages and an end to the war in Gaza. He revealed his list of geo-political demands on accepting an award in London, England, adding Israel would be best advised to act, and “be released from the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts.” Bono’s words of advice to Israel came 48-hours after he attacked the Trump administration for cuts to USAID: U2 were present at the 2025 Ivor Novello songwriting awards ceremony to receive the Fellowship of the...

Ruby Chen, father of hostage Itay Chen, addressed the United Nations Security Council today during a landmark session on Resolution 2474—the Council’s first formal discussion on missing persons in armed conflict since the October 7 Hamas attacks. Initiated by the United States, the session brought the voices of the families into the heart of the international arena. He called on the Council to establish a dedicated UN body to address hostage-taking as a distinct and ongoing violation of international law, and to ensure the resolution is fully implemented and enforced. In his speech, Ruby gave voice to the collective anguish...

Edan Alexander reunited with his family on Monday at the Re'im Camp in southern Israel after 584 days in Hamas captivity. After a moving hug to his parent's he was surprised by how much his younger brother had grown, and exclaimed: "This kid is a giant, who is he?!" Kan News reported that Edan described being tied hand and foot inside a cage, deprived of daylight, and suffering from extreme hunger in a Hamas-controlled tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. During his release, Alexander was visibly weakened, struggling to walk due to the toll of prolonged confinement. Lots of pics...

The British terrorist who took four people hostage inside a Texas synagogue ranted about the “f***ing Jews” in the final phone call he made to his family during the siege, a recording obtained exclusively by the JC reveals. In a chilling conversation with his brother in Blackburn from inside the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Malik Faisal Akram, 44, said: "I'm opening the doors for every youngster in England to enter America and f*** with them”. Addressing fellow jihadists, he shouted: “Live your f***ing life bro, you f***ing coward. We’re coming to f***ing America. F*** them if they want...

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters responded to recent reports that Israel may be left out of a wide regional initiative which has the potential to secure the release of hostages. "The government must adopt a comprehensive regional agreement that will transform the Middle East, end the war, and secure the return of all 59 hostages," the Forum responded. "This represents an unprecedented historic missed opportunity. Every citizen should understand tonight that Israel is heading toward 'the missed opportunity of the century.'" The Forum alleged that "the government is acting contrary to President Trump's policy," as well as in...

Going Entebbe on the hostage-taking dictator, right in front of his patron, Vladimir Putin. For Venezuela's fraudulently elected Nicolas Maduro, in Moscow to pay tribute to his patron Vlad Putin, yesterday was kind of embarrassing for both of them. Way under the radar, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been busy, figuring out a way to make both of them look like weaklings, and with perfect timing, he succeeded: The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas. Following a precise operation, all hostages are now safely on U.S....

Screen shots of social media posts One of the winners of this year's Pulitzer Prize - Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha - disputed whether the Bibas family was murdered by their captors and argued that Israeli hostages should not be called hostages. This was first revealed by the watchdog HonestReporting, which also called for Abu Toha's award to be rescinded. .....

This is a sad story which just keeps getting worse. Socialist dictators Nicolas Maduro stole the recent election and seems to be getting away with it despite clear evidence that his opposition opponent Edmundo Gonzalez won by a wide margin. To solidify his rule, Maduro has been cracking down on dissent, jailing hundreds of opposition figures and forcing others to flee the country for their own safety. Last week, his government issued an arrest warrant for Gonzalez himself. In a letter posted on X on Monday, the Prosecutor’s Office said Gonzalez is suspected of “crimes associated with terrorism” including “usurpation...

not only did President Trump get Venezuela to release American hostages, he also got them to agree to take back all their illegal aliens in the United States. Only Trump can get dictators to turn into puppies. ... Trump's accomplished this in 10 days. Absolutely astonishing to see how fast things are moving. Trump has a mission and he understands there is NOT an unlimited amount of time. ... Trump’s ability to negotiate with foreign leaders shows his unique approach to diplomacy, focusing on getting results without traditional concessions. ... The art of the deal.

Venezuelan security forces surrounded the Argentine embassy in the capital Caracas on Friday after two opposition members took refuge inside, according to posts by the opposition duo on social media. The pair joined four other Venezuelan opposition figures who have taken refuge in the embassy this year. One of the men, Pedro Urruchurtu, the international coordinator for opposition leader María Corina Machado, wrote on X that there were patrols of hooded and armed officials surrounding the diplomatic building. The other, former deputy Omar González, also posted on X, writing: “They cut off the electricity service to the Argentine embassy in...

The U.S. welcomes the successful rescue of all hostages held by the Maduro regime at the Argentinian Embassy in Caracas. Following a precise operation, all hostages are now safely on U.S. soil. Maduro's illegitimate regime has undermined Venezuela's institutions, violated human rights, and endangered our regional security. We extend our gratitude to all personnel involved in this operation and to our partners who assisted in securing the safe liberation of these Venezuelan heroes.

Pics of terrorists coming out in nothing but undershirts. A few weeks ago, during an 188th Brigade operation under the command of the 36th Division in Rafah's Shabura neighborhood, a Hamas platoon commander who participated in the October 7th Massacre and was in charge of holding several Israeli hostages, who were released, as well as a commander in Hamas's sniper array, surrendered and were apprehended. Troops found several knives on the terrorists. During the terrorists' interrogation by the Shin Bet, they gave valuable intelligence about the location of significant terrorist infrastructure in the area. A few weeks ago, the IDF...

A senior security source addressed the expansion of the fighting in Gaza, which has been codenamed "Operation Gideon Chariots," and says that the goal will be "to defeat and subdue Hamas in Gaza and release all hostages." According to the source, "In accordance with the plan formulated by the Chief of Staff and the IDF Command and approved by the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister, the IDF will increase its forces and act forcefully to defeat and subdue Hamas and destroy its military and governmental capabilities, while creating strong pressure for the release of all the hostages. A...