In a recent interview on NBC's "Today" show, John Kirby, the spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, expressed his conviction that Mia Schem, a French-Israeli hostage featured in a video released by Hamas, was coerced into making her statements.
The video, which surfaced on Monday, shows the 21-year-old pleading for her return to her family. French President Emmanuel Macron has since demanded Schem's immediate liberation.
Kirby stated, "There is no question in my mind that that woman gave that video testimony under duress, probably forced to do it." He further criticized the video as a propaganda tool for Hamas, describing it as "despicable, deplorable" and a false representation of the terrorist group's treatment of hostages.
The spokesperson reiterated the call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas, which is believed to include 199 Israelis and several other foreign nationals. "We know there is a small number of Americans but all of them need to come home and be with their families," Kirby emphasized.
As President Biden prepares for his visit to Israel on Wednesday, Kirby acknowledged the volatile nature of the region, describing it as a "dynamic area in many ways, a combat zone." He assured that all necessary security precautions would be taken to ensure the President's safety during the trip.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists initiated a brutal invasion into Israel, resulting in the death of over 1,400 Israelis, including at least 260 attendees of the Tribe of Nova Trance music festival. Schem, who was attending the festival, was among those captured.
Keren Sharf Schem, Mia's mother, described her current situation as her "worst nightmare." In an interview with Fox News' Mike Tobin, she expressed her initial uncertainty about her daughter's fate, stating, "I didn't know if she was dead or alive. I knew nothing until yesterday when I saw this video."
During a press conference on Tuesday, Schem pleaded for her daughter's safe return, saying, "I'm begging the world to bring my baby back home, she only went to a party, to a festival party to have some fun and now she's in Gaza."
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