Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached out to China for assistance in securing the release of Noa Argamani, a hostage whose mother is from China and is currently battling cancer.
Netanyahu revealed during a speech to the Knesset on Monday that he had personally requested the intervention of Chinese President Xi Jinping through Ambassador Cai Run.
In his message to President Xi, Netanyahu emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, "There is a daughter of a Chinese mother, and I am personally asking for your interference in the matter of Noa Argamani." He further explained to Ambassador Cai the additional emotional weight of the situation, as Noa's mother simply wishes to see her daughter one last time before her passing.
Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old student at Ben Gurion University, was among the 250 hostages kidnapped during Hamas' infiltration of southern Israel on October 7. Tragically, this attack resulted in the loss of 1,200 lives. While 110 hostages have been released through a limited deal, it is estimated that 129 individuals remain captive in Gaza, with the bodies of 11 others having been recovered.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has faced mounting pressure to secure the release of the remaining hostages. The story of Noa Argamani has struck a particularly emotional chord, as she was captured on video pleading with her captors not to harm her as she was taken into Gaza on a motorcycle. She had been attending the Nova music festival with her boyfriend, Avinatan Or. Another video, released shortly after her capture, showed her drinking water.
Recent reports from NBC suggest that it is possible that an armed group, not affiliated with Hamas, is responsible for Noa's abduction and continued captivity. As the international community anxiously awaits a resolution, Prime Minister Netanyahu's plea to China for assistance highlights the desperate need for cooperation and intervention to bring Noa Argamani and the remaining hostages home safely.
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