Autistic girl and her grandmother, whose case drew the interest of Harry Potter author, found dead in aftermath of Hamas invasion.

By JNS

Eleven days after Hamas’s terrorist onslaught began, rescue workers found the lifeless bodies of Noya Dan, a 12-year-old Israeli girl with autism, and her grandmother Carmela Dan, officials said on Thursday.

The two, residents of Kibbutz Kissufim and Kibbutz Nir Oz, respectively, had been assumed kidnapped by Hamas. On Wednesday, their bodies were found near the border fence, Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster reported.

Noya’s plight went viral on social media on Sunday after the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s X (formerly Twitter) account enlisted the help of British author J.K. Rowling in an effort to help bring her home.

“Noya is sensitive, kind, funny and a massive Harry Potter fan,” Jerusalem wrote to the famed author, sharing a photo of the girl in a Harry Potter costume.

Rowling reposted the photo, stressing to her 14 million followers that kidnapping children is “despicable and wholly unjustifiable.

“For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families,” wrote Rowling.

On Thursday, the ministry said, “We are devastated to announce that Noya and her grandmother’s bodies were found yesterday. Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for sharing her story with the hope that she would come home. Our hearts are broken. May their memory be a blessing.”

Rowling responded to the update, tweeting: “I have no words.”

Noya’s uncle Ofer Calderon, his 16-year-old daughter and his 12-year-old son are still missing, Channel 12 quoted the family as saying.

“Today was a difficult day,” said Sharon Kaldron. “Carmela Dan and Noya Dan are no longer with us. May they be remembered for love. We continue to fight to bring Ofer, Sahar and Erez home.”

Hamas terrorists killed at least 1,400 Israelis and wounded more than 4,500 in a massive offensive launched from Gaza on Oct. 7, which included the firing of thousands of rockets at Israel and the infiltration of the Jewish state by terrorist forces.

Terrorists took at least 203 hostages from Israel to the Strip during the invasion, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Thursday, adding that the number is not final.

“The IDF has been scanning the Gaza border area for bodies of missing Israelis, locating some, and many bodies are still waiting to be identified,” said Hagari.

Rescue volunteers on Thursday also located the bodies of 58-year-old Arik Peretz and his daughter Ruth, who suffered from muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy. The two had been missing since terrorists attacked the Supernova Sukkot Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im on Oct. 7.

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Noya Dan, who is described as a major Harry Potter fan, was kidnapped with four other family members.

By World Israel News Staff

Famed British author J.K. Rowling retweeted a post drawing attention to the distressing situation of Noya Dan, a 12-year-old Israeli girl with autism currently held captive by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, saying

Dan is described as a major fan of Rowling’s iconic “Harry Potter” series.

“For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me,” Rowling wrote in her tweet.

“May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families,” she added.

Kidnapping children is despicable and wholly unjustifiable. For obvious reasons, this picture has hit home with me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families. https://t.co/YIbf3egib4

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 16, 2023

Hamas is holding 200 hostages in Gaza.

Many celebrities have shared posts showing solidarity with Israel since the war broke out with Hamas’ brutal attack on October 7, including Gal Gadot, Bono, Jamie Lee Curtis, Madonna, Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Helen Mirren, Andy Cohen, Deborah Messing, Nina Dobrev, and Amy Schumer.

More than 1,000 celebrities, including Gadot, Michael Douglas, Chris Pine, and Jason Alexander, signed an open letter showing solidarity with Israel, condemning Hamas and calling for the return of hostages taken by Hamas.

“This is terrorism. This is evil. There is no justification or rationalization for Hamas’ actions,” it read. “They are a terrorist organization whose leaders call for the murder of Jews everywhere.”

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In a 16-part Twitter thread, Rowling portrayed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters as a fanatical cult in blissful denial of their own anti-Semitism.

By Benjamin Kerstein, The Algemeiner

Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling mocked the UK Labour party this past weekend over the anti-Semitism scandals it has been roiled by in recent years.

In a 16-part Twitter thread, Rowling portrayed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters as a fanatical cult in blissful denial of their own anti-Semitism.

Titled “The visitation of the Corbynites: a festive thread,” the tweet fest began: “And lo, unto her did appear a host of Corbyn defenders, who did descend upon her mentions, and she was not sore afraid, because she was used to it. And the host did sing with one voice, ‘ungodly woman, thou foolest us not. We know the true reason thou despisest Saint Jeremy.’”

Rowling then skewered Corbyn’s backers in Labour for their stances on Brexit, taxation and economics, as well as their slavish devotion to their party’s leader.

“‘But his goodness doth shine out of his every orifice!’ cried the host, swarming anew into her mentions. ‘Behold his beard! Look upon this picture of him being led off by police when he was protesting racism in all its forms!’” Rowling wrote.

Turning to Labour’s anti-Semitism problem, she tweeted, “Yet must I protest, thou it breaketh my heart so to do, that this party of Labour, which I have so long loved, has become, under St Jeremy – ‘ ‘Speak not of the Jews!’ cried the host. ‘Why must thou speak so oft of the Jews?’ ‘Yea, I must speak,’ said she, ‘for when Jews no longer feel safe in Labour then I too must leave.’”

And one of the hosts did shout something about the Rothschilds,” Rowling continued, “and he was hastily hushed by his brethren, who did declare, ‘he is not one of ours, thou he sports a #JC4PM halo.’ And another did speak and he said, ‘it is not anti-Semitic to criticise Israel,’ and she did put her face in her hands and want to weep.”

Concluding her missive, Rowling lamented Labour’s unwillingness to take criticism, writing, “And the host did despise and condemn her, and many did tell her to f**k off and join the Tories, and before they did depart one of their number cried unto her, ‘it’s because he’ll tax you more, isn’t it,’ and she did sigh and wished him a Merry Christmas.”

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