Why are anti-Netanyahu activists attacking a freed hostage?

Anti-Netanyahu activists direct intense online vitriol against Noa Argamani, because she agreed to accompany the prime minister on his trip to Washington.

By World Israel News Staff

Anti-government activists are attacking former Hamas hostage Noa Argamani online, including saying that she should not have been rescued from captivity, because she agreed to accompany Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington for his speech in front of Congress.

Argamani, 26, became an internationally-known symbol of the October 7th atrocities after a viral video of her pleading for help while being whisked off to Gaza on a motorcycle was viewed millions of times.

In June, she was rescued in a daring rescue operation by Israel’s Yamam special forces unit, along with three other hostages: Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv, who were being held in a separate location close to Argamani.

During the rescue operation, elite counterterror officer Arnon Zamora was killed by Hamas gunmen.

While news of Argamani’s release was initially celebrated in Israel, some anti-government activists harshly criticized her for agreeing to be present during Netanyahu’s Congress speech.

“I would have preferred she remained in captivity and Zamora was alive. Why did he fall, why did he sacrifice his life, so her father, the Bibist [Netanyahu supporter], could lead Noa to the Netanyahu family’s lavish plane?” wrote prominent Israeli businessman Roni Mana wrote on social media platform X.

After intense backlash, Mana deleted his tweet and walked back his remarks.

“I want to apologize to Noa Argamani for the things I wrote about her,” he posted. “There is no place for that, and I ask for her forgiveness.”

But Mana was far from the only anti-government voice to slam Argamani for joining the Israeli delegation to Washington.

On X, retired left-wing journalist Dan Margalit called Argamani’s participation in the trip “a disgrace.”

Haaretz journalist Uri Misgav said that Argamani and her father “should be ashamed” of themselves for agreeing to join Netanyahu.

Speaking at an Evangelical Christian event in the U.S., Netanyahu said he was “shocked” by the level of vitriol directed at Argamani.

“Noa endured torment in Hamas captivity, longing to return to her mother before she died,” Netanyahu said.

“And now, as she stands with the prime minister in Israel’s official delegation for a crucial speech before Congress, she faces a campaign against her with messages like ‘shame you left captivity.’ Is there no limit to this madness? Enough is enough.”