‘If I don’t get to see you, please know I love you very much’: Dying mother of hostage Noa Argamani – abducted by Hamas on a motorbike – issues video plea to see her daughter before cancer takes her life
The dying mother of Noa Argamani – a young woman abducted from the back of a motorcycle by Hamas terrorists – has made a painful video plea to see her daughter before cancer takes her life.
Liora Argamani, who is currently battling stage four brain cancer, called on President Biden and the Red Cross to intervene, telling her daughter: ‘If I don’t see you… know that I love you very much’ .
Noa, 26, an only child, was kidnapped at the Supernova music festival during the Hamas raid on Israel on October 7 and filmed begging for her life from the back of a bicycle, shouting: ‘Don’t kill me!’
The images, which were shared widely online, caused a wave of excruciating fear for Liora as she was forced to watch her daughter suffer along with the rest of the world.
“Hello, I am Liora Argamani,” she said to the camera today, sitting in a large leather chair with posters of her kidnapped daughter in the background, “the mother of Noa Argamani, the beautiful girl kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 to Gaza.
Liora Argamani (right) fears she will not live long enough to see her only child, Noa, 26, who was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7
Noa was driven away through the desert by Hamas terrorists on a motorcycle
“I have cancer, brain cancer,” she said from her family’s temporary apartment in Tel Aviv, near her cancer treatment clinic.
‘I don’t know how long I have left. I wish for the chance to see my Noa at home.
‘I call on President Biden and the Red Cross to bring my Noa back as soon as possible so that I have the opportunity to see her.
‘Noa, if I don’t see you… please know that I love you very much. Please know that we have done everything we can to get you released. The whole world loves you.’
Eighty-one hostages have been released in Gaza so far, seven weeks after they were captured during the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Sixty Israeli women and children were released as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas, while a Russian-Israeli man who was not included in the deal was also released by Hamas.
Nineteen Thai hostages and one Filipino were released as part of a separate agreement between Hamas and the Egyptian government.
In addition, prior to the deals with Hamas, another four Israeli hostages were released, and another was released by Israeli forces.
On Tuesday, November 28, ten Israeli and two Thai hostages were released by Hamas.
The exchange has seen 180 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons – plus hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel have been allowed into Gaza.
But the painful wait for Liora continues.
This video, which circulated on social media, reportedly shows Noa in captivity in Gaza
Noa’s father, Yakov, says doctors have told the family that his wife Liora may not live long
Earlier this week she told the Mail on Sunday that she only asks for one thing before she backs down.
“My only wish would be to hug and see Noa before anything happens to me due to my medical condition, which would mean I won’t be able to do that.
‘I know she’s a strong girl. We are waiting for her. Only the thought of her coming home keeps me strong.’
Liora is battling stage 4 brain cancer and her husband Yakov says doctors have no hope.
‘I don’t want to elaborate on it, but it’s not good. The doctors have not given a good prognosis, but I believe it is in God’s hands. I believe it will turn out fine.’
Apart from a photo of Noa drinking water in what appeared to be Gaza, which was posted in a Hamas telegram channel, the family has had no news of her safety.
‘We know nothing more than what the media has reported. All we have seen are the images of Noa being kidnapped and then sitting on the couch with a bottle of water.’
At his home in Tel Aviv, the Argamanis are surrounded by friends and family who have had a song sung in honor of Noa and her boyfriend Avi Natan, who were also kidnapped from the Nova festival.
Photos of the handsome couple hang on the walls, including the Mail on Sunday headline on the front page: ‘Don’t kill me.’ who sits on an empty chair symbolizing her absence.
Liora is too weak to join the family and friends in the living room and Yakov can’t help but sob.
Along with hundreds of other young Israelis, Noa (pictured) had been enjoying a peace festival in the desert when they were forced to flee for their lives
Her boyfriend, Avi Nathan, distraught and helpless, was also seen on video being kidnapped
A photo taken earlier this year of Avi Natan, who was also kidnapped from the Nova festival
‘I am experiencing the most difficult period of my life. Before October 7, I weighed 20 pounds more than I do now.
‘The thoughts I have would tear you apart. And this is in addition to my wife’s poor health condition. It’s hard to digest all this.’
‘As an only child, Noa is the person who arranged her mother’s care, her doctors, her medication and so on.
‘She had a tough year studying at university and yet she still took care of mum.
“Now that Noa is gone, it is our responsibility to take care of her family until she returns.” says Noa’s childhood friend Yan Gorjaltsan.