Hostage freed from Hamas reveals who his captors wanted to win US election

Freed Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov revealed to CNN on Wednesday that the terrorist group Hamas, which had held him captive, said they wanted former Vice President Kamala Harris to win the 2024 presidential election.

Before his January inauguration, President Donald Trump had been vocal about securing the release of all hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, eventually brokering an initial deal that month. While speaking to CNN about his time in captivity, Shem Tov said the group frequently discussed politics and made clear they wanted Harris as the next president.

“As soon as Donald Trump was elected, they understood that he wanted to bring the hostages back home,” Shem Tov said.

Before entering the 2024 race as the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris had reportedly urged former President Joe Biden to take a more sympathetic stance toward Gaza and the Palestinians just months after Hamas attacked Israel.

As of March, a total of 59 hostages were still reportedly being held in Hamas captivity, with Israel believing 35 have since died, according to the Associated Press. On May 7, Trump said 21 hostages were still with Hamas, adding three had died.

Shem Tov went on to tell CNN about his concerns for the remaining hostages in Gaza, dedicating his time now to advocating for the release of those still held.

“I will fight for my family,” Shem Tov said. “They’re going through hell. And time is critical.”

Shem Tov and other freed hostages, including Keith Siegel, have met with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent months, expressing their desire for the remaining hostages to be released.

“I am home because of his [Trump’s] efforts,” Siegel told CNN. “I believe that he wants to do this, and it’s important to him. He has told us that. I ask him to do whatever he can and to do it as soon as possible to get an agreement secured and to get them all back.”

In May, Hamas announced it would release its last American hostage, Edan Alexander, with Trump posting on Truth Social that he was grateful to those who helped make the deal happen.

“I am grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen,” Trump wrote. “This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”

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