Former Hostage Condemns Protest at Fundraiser Event
Noah Argamani, a former hostage of Hamas, has criticized “terrifying sympathizers” who disrupted a Jewish fundraising event at the University of Windsor in Canada, creating a threatening atmosphere with cries of “Hamas coming.”
Argamani, 27, attended the gathering organized by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) on June 26. Despite the unsettling experience, she stated her resilience, having been among those released from captivity in June 2024 after enduring eight months as a hostage.
In a recent post, she expressed strong feelings about her ordeal, stating, “Hamas has come. Hamas invited me. Hamas killed my friend. But I won. I survived. Now I will speak for those who can’t.” She emphasized her commitment to advocating for fellow hostages, including her partner, Abinathan.
“I refuse to let terrorist sympathizers control the narrative,” she asserted.
Footage captured outside the venue showed one protester shouting through a megaphone, “Hamas is here,” while attendees attempted to exit the tense situation. The event chair, Miriam Kaplan, criticized the protesters’ actions as a “disgraceful attempt to blackmail survivors” and urged the university to take a stand against their behavior.
Kaplan remarked, “These students crossed the line from freedom of speech to aggression.” The Israeli and Jewish Issues Centre in Canada also voiced their condemnation of the protest actions, labeling them as merciless and threatening toward hostage survivors.
Argamani gained international attention when footage of her plight during the massacre at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, circulated widely. In the video, she was seen pleading for her life as a terrorist took her hostage.
After 246 days of captivity, she was one of four Israelis freed on June 8, 2024, during a daring rescue operation by Israeli forces. Along with her, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv were also released.
Since her return, Argamani has actively advocated for the release of other hostages and highlighted the urgency of their situation. Reflecting on her experiences, she described her survival in Gaza as a “miracle.” Speaking to G7 representatives in Tokyo, she recounted fearing for her life each night but expressed gratitude for being alive.
Argamani has continued to push for efforts to secure the release of those still held captive, including her boyfriend, whose last known communication was in mid-March.
