Latest news with #Argamani
Middle East Eye
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Noa Argamani walks the TIME 100 red carpet as social media asks her to demand end to war
Social media users are using Time magazine's inclusion of freed Israeli captive Noa Argamani in their list of most influential people of the year to highlight the plight of Palestinian victims of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip. On Monday, Argamani took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share pictures of herself on the red carpet at the 2025 TIME 100 Summit and Gala in New York after being named one of the 100 most influential people earlier this month for her 'extraordinary courage and humanity in speaking out for the remaining hostages'. In the post she said '59 innocent people are still trapped… Please use your voice. Please use your influence. Help make sure the world does not look away'. While many people responded with messages of support and praised her for her 'bravery', others highlighted that over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed amid Israel's ongoing assault on the besieged enclave, and accused the magazine of pro-Israel bias. 'While Noa Argamani's story of survival and advocacy for hostages is deeply moving, her spotlight at the TIME100 event reflects a troubling trend of TIME becoming a platform for Israeli narratives,' said one user. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'TIME's decision to honor Argamani, paired with its history of amplifying Israeli perspectives, like its coverage of Israeli leaders while sidelining Palestinian voices suggests a bias that aligns with pro-Israel propaganda,' the user continued. The mere fact that Israeli hostages, most of them IDF, get to walk red carpets, whereas Palestinian hostages are forced to walk on blood-stained rubble of their dead and continue to do so without platform speaks volumes. — 👾 (@c0gnidissonance) April 30, 2025 Argamani was one of the roughly 250 people taken captive during the Hamas-led 7 October surprise attacks on southern Israel that killed close to 1200 people. She was later one of four captives rescued during a brutal operation and attack on Gaza in June 2024 that killed 236 Palestinians and wounded at least 400, mostly women and children. Several social media users responded to Argamani's post by drawing attention to the Palestinians who were killed during her rescue. 'Reminder that this lady was released through an American/Israeli operation that bombed and killed 300 people as "collateral damage"' - Abu Salem al-Maghribiy 'Reminder that this lady was released through an American/Israeli operation that bombed and killed 300 people as 'collateral damage',' posted one person. A writer from Gaza responded: 'To save you, bombs rained down on our heads like a storm. I was there, not far from the place; it was one of the most horrific days I have ever witnessed in my life.' Some people highlighted the conditions of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. 'As of April 2025, estimates suggest Israel is holding around 9,900 Palestinians in its prisons and detention centers, with many detained on what are often described as political grounds,' wrote one user. 'UN reports state that thousands of detainees, including children, have faced torture, including waterboarding, sleep deprivation, electric shocks, and sexual violence,' he continued, adding statistics about the abuse faced by Palestinian prisoners reported by Amnesty International and other rights groups. Not a single word for the 50,000+ Palestinians who are dead? What a shame. Unlike Palestinians, they aren't lucky like you to have to face the genocide DAILY by YOUR illegal state. Palestinian women, children are being killed daily and not even a word for them. Shocking — ∞ 🏴🇵🇸 (@IAmFazwan) April 29, 2025 Others called on Argamani to demand a ceasefire that would see the return of the remaining captives in Gaza. 'Maybe ask your government to stop indiscriminately bombing innocent civilians. They've had so many chances to bring them home and haven't, they've actually killed hostages,' said one user. Maybe ask your government to stop indiscriminately bombing innocent civilians. They've had so many chances to bring them home and haven't, they've actually killed hostages — Dominik Barabasz (@DominikBarabasz) April 29, 2025 Since 7 October, the Israeli government and army have been adamant that the best method to free the Israelis taken captive is through intense military assault. But despite a number of high-profile Israeli raids to free the captives, many of them have died as a result of Israeli bombing, with every confirmed death increasing pressure by relatives on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire deal.
Time Magazine
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Israeli Hostage Advocate Noa Argamani on Not Looking Away
Noa Argamani opened up about what it was like to be held hostage by Hamas for 245 days when she walked the red carpet at the gala celebrating TIME's 2025 list of the world's most influential people on April 24 in New York City. Argamani attended the Nova Music Festival where Hamas launched the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that led to the Israel-Hamas war. She recently found it hard to attend the Nova Exhibition, a traveling exhibit on the festival and the conflict. As she put it, 'It was too much to handle. Too much to carry.' But it was a must-see, she said. Argamani was separated from her partner Avinatan Or and said that while in captivity, she was constantly trying to find out where he was. At a certain point, she was afraid to know the answer. 'I never saw him in captivity. I asked about him everywhere I went, but they didn't tell me nothing. I didn't know if he's alive … I didn't want to know the answer because it was too much for me,' she said. 'But until my partner, Avinatan Or, will come back, and all those 59 hostages will come back, I will not heal. I will push forward, and I will fight as much as I can so that everybody will come back home.' Later at the gala afterparty, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, described Argamani as 'one of the most inspiring people I've ever met,' citing 'her extraordinary strength and her amazing resolve, not just despite what she's been through but what she's still going through.' In a tribute to Argamani for the 2025 TIME100, Doug Emhoff, former Second Gentleman of the United States, wrote, 'her bravery has embodied Jewish resilience and strength even in the worst moments.' Argamani was among a select group of honorees to make a short speech during the gala. She urged the star-studded attendees to use their voices and influence to keep attention on those who remain in captivity: 'Help make sure that the world will not look away.' —Solcyré Burga contributed reporting. ——— The TIME100 Gala is TIME's annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations for one lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration. TIME is teaming up with ABC to bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with a special television event. TIME100: The World's Most Influential People, produced in partnership with P&G, airs Sunday, May 4 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu, featuring host Snoop Dogg, a performance by Ed Sheeran, and appearances by Demi Moore, Serena Williams, and more.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Noa Argamani on Not Looking Away
Noa Argamani attends the 2025 TIME100 Gala in New York City on April 24, 2025. Credit - Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images for TIME Noa Argamani opened up about what it was like to be held hostage by Hamas for 245 days when she walked the red carpet at the gala celebrating TIME's 2025 list of the world's most influential people on April 24 in New York City. Argamani attended the Nova Music Festival where Hamas launched the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that led to the Israel-Hamas war. She recently found it hard to attend the Nova Exhibition, a traveling exhibit on the festival and the conflict. As she put it, 'It was too much to handle. Too much to carry.' But it was a must-see, she said. Argamani was separated from her partner Avinatan Or and said that while in captivity, she was constantly trying to find out where he was. At a certain point, she was afraid to know the answer. 'I never saw him in captivity. I asked about him everywhere I went, but they didn't tell me nothing. I didn't know if he's alive … I didn't want to know the answer because it was too much for me,' she said. 'But until my partner, Avinatan Or, will come back, and all those 59 hostages will come back, I will not heal. I will push forward, and I will fight as much as I can so that everybody will come back home.' Later at the gala afterparty, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, described Argamani as 'one of the most inspiring people I've ever met,' citing 'her extraordinary strength and her amazing resolve, not just despite what she's been through but what she's still going through.' In a tribute to Argamani for the 2025 TIME100, Doug Emhoff, former Second Gentleman of the United States, wrote, 'her bravery has embodied Jewish resilience and strength even in the worst moments.' Argamani was among a select group of honorees to make a short speech during the gala. She urged the star-studded attendees to use their voices and influence to keep attention on those who remain in captivity: 'Help make sure that the world will not look away.' —Solcyré Burga contributed reporting. ——— The TIME100 Gala is TIME's annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations for one lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration. TIME is teaming up with ABC to bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with a special television event. TIME100: The World's Most Influential People, produced in partnership with P&G, airs Sunday, May 4 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu, featuring host Snoop Dogg, a performance by Ed Sheeran, and appearances by Demi Moore, Serena Williams, and more. The 2025 TIME100 Gala was presented by Circle, Diriyah Company, Prudential Financial, Toyota, Amazon, Absolut, Pfizer, and XPRIZE. Write to Olivia B. Waxman at
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Noa Argami on Not Looking Away
Noa Argamani attends the 2025 TIME100 Gala in New York City on April 24, 2025. Credit - Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images for TIME Noa Argamani opened up about what it was like to be held hostage by Hamas for 245 days when she walked the red carpet at the gala celebrating TIME's 2025 list of the world's most influential people on April 24 in New York City. Argamani attended the Nova Music Festival where Hamas launched the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that led to the Israel-Hamas war. She recently found it hard to attend the Nova Exhibition, a traveling exhibit on the festival and the conflict. As she put it, 'It was too much to handle. Too much to carry.' But it was a must-see, she said. Argamani was separated from her partner Avinatan Or and said that while in captivity, she was constantly trying to find out where he was. At a certain point, she was afraid to know the answer. 'I never saw him in captivity. I asked about him everywhere I went, but they didn't tell me nothing. I didn't know if he's alive … I didn't want to know the answer because it was too much for me,' she said. 'But until my partner, Avinatan Or, will come back, and all those 59 hostages will come back, I will not heal. I will push forward, and I will fight as much as I can so that everybody will come back home.' Later at the gala afterparty, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, described Argamani as 'one of the most inspiring people I've ever met,' citing 'her extraordinary strength and her amazing resolve, not just despite what she's been through but what she's still going through.' In a tribute to Argamani for the 2025 TIME100, Doug Emhoff, former Second Gentleman of the United States, wrote, 'her bravery has embodied Jewish resilience and strength even in the worst moments.' Argamani was among a select group of honorees to make a short speech during the gala. She urged the star-studded attendees to use their voices and influence to keep attention on those who remain in captivity: 'Help make sure that the world will not look away.' —Solcyré Burga contributed reporting. ——— The TIME100 Gala is TIME's annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations for one lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration. TIME is teaming up with ABC to bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with a special television event. TIME100: The World's Most Influential People, produced in partnership with P&G, airs Sunday, May 4 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu, featuring host Snoop Dogg, a performance by Ed Sheeran, and appearances by Demi Moore, Serena Williams, and more. The 2025 TIME100 Gala was presented by Circle, Diriyah Company, Prudential Financial, Toyota, Amazon, Absolut, Pfizer, and XPRIZE. Write to Olivia B. Waxman at
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
At TIME100 Gala, Honorees Pay Tribute to the Power of Endurance
Demi Moore, Serena Williams, Noa Argamani Credit - Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images for TIME; Jemal Countess—Getty Images for TIME; Jemal Countess—Getty Images for TIME Honorees at the 2025 TIME100 Gala gathered at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday night to pay tribute to the people and causes that have shaped their life's work. Industry leaders were among the hundreds of guests joining them in New York City to celebrate this year's TIME100, a list that brings together influential voices, cultural icons, and global change-makers. Noa Argamani—who was abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and held hostage for 245 days before her rescue—joined actor, author, and producer Demi Moore; former professional tennis player Serena Williams; education advocate Angeline Murimirwa; and actor and entrepreneur Blake Lively in delivering tributes at the event. TIME CEO Jess Sibley introduced Argamani, the first to give a tribute that evening. Argamani used her speech to deliver a heartfelt tribute to the 59 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas, including her partner, Avinatan Or. 'A year ago, I didn't know if I would make it out alive. I was lucky—I was rescued. But Avinatan is still there, fighting to survive,' she said. She described the conditions in the tunnels where they are held as being 'without any light, with barely any food, struggling just to stay alive.' The former hostage urged the audience to 'use [their] voice' and influence to keep global attention on those still in captivity. 'Help make sure that the world will not look away,' she said, "We need them home now—before it's too late." Speaking after the activist, Sam Jacobs, TIME's Editor in Chief, said "we are grateful not only because [Argamani is] free, but because [she is] a powerful voice for freedom around the world." TIME100 Innovator and the evening's host Snoop Dogg introduced Moore, the second honoree to give a tribute that evening. Moore, who earned a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination for her role in the 2024 film The Substance, reflected on the power of self-acceptance. 'When we embrace who we are, where we are, exactly as we are—we stop missing the moment we're in,' the actor said.'The truth is you can't run out of time if you're living in the present.' Known not only for her work on screen but also as a producer and author, Moore spoke candidly about her personal evolution—describing her path toward self-acceptance and the time she once lost 'stressing over things that haven't happened or reliving things we've already survived.' She closed with a tribute to the journey itself: 'So here's to the moment we're in: to the weird, winding, beautiful road that brought us all here, to not having it all figured out—but being brave enough to keep showing up anyway.' TIME100 Pioneers Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier introduced Williams, a 23 Grand Slam champion, as the next honoree to give a tribute. The athlete and entrepreneur spoke about the importance of 'changing the conversation' around what women can achieve in the sporting world. 'For most of my life, I've been a part of a world that didn't always expect much from women … especially not from a Black girl from Compton with big dreams and an even bigger serve,' she said. 'But if there's one thing my parents taught me, it's that the rules weren't built for us—so sometimes, you have to create your own.' Williams reflected on how her early goals grew over time, shifting from personal victories to systemic change. 'When I was a little girl, I dreamed about winning Grand Slams. But as I grew older, I realized my dreams were, well, bigger than that,' she said. 'I started dreaming about changing the conversation. About making people see women's sports, and women's athletes, completely different. And it was about proving that passion, power and emotion [weren't] weaknesses, but our greatest strengths.' She highlighted her own ventures, including helping to launch the Toronto Tempo, Canada's first WNBA team, and supporting emerging women-led leagues. Williams closed by celebrating a generational shift in the value placed on women athletes and the new foundations being built. 'It's happening at every level,' she said. 'College athletes, especially young women, are learning what I had to figure out the hard way: that their name, their image, their story, has value. That they deserve to profit from their own hard work.' 'To the next generation watching: we're not just opening doors for you. Of course, that'd be too simple. We're building whole new houses. Because when you bet on women, you're betting on the future,' Williams said. 'Thank you, and I hope to see all of you at a Tempo game. I'll save you seats courtside.' TIME100 Icon David Muir introduced Murimirwa, the next honoree to give a tribute. As CEO of CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education), Murimirwa works to ensure millions of girls across Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe can access the education they deserve. On stage, she offered a stark reminder of just how dire the situation remains. 'Did you know that only 5 out of 100 girls from the most marginalized families in Africa complete high school? You heard that right: 95% of the most marginalized girls in rural Africa never complete secondary school.' Murimirwa shared how her own journey began with the odds firmly stacked against her—and how a scholarship became her turning point. 'My mum sold two buckets of maize to buy me the blanket and toothbrush I needed to stay at the school I would attend, which was far from my village,' she recounted. 'My family gave up many meals to see me through.' Years later, after graduating alongside CAMFED's first 400 alumnae, Murimirwa helped build the movement that would go on to change hundreds of thousands of lives. 'And when I made it, with the first 400 graduates of CAMFED, we started working on what was next,' she said. 'Because we knew that education transforms your life—and it puts you in a position to be able to transform others'.' Murimirwa emphasized that CAMFED's mission extends far beyond the classroom, describing the organization's work as a catalyst for economic growth, improving health and fostering resilience to climate change. 'Tackling our world's biggest challenges and creating a brighter future is possible. And it starts with sending a girl to school,' she concluded. 'Let me make a toast. To my amazing mum. To my fellow girls' education leaders. To everyone joining us on this journey as we charge ahead. This is the time to support more girls, to support them better, and to support them now!' Actor Lively, introduced by Snoop Dogg, spoke about her mother Willie Elain McAlpin, and honored female survivors as a whole. Lively focused much of her speech on how her mother greatly influenced her life, sharing her mother's personal experience getting attacked by a co-worker before Lively was born. She and her mother are alive, she says, because of the women survivors who teach each other how to live and continue on. There is a 'super power,' the actress says, in 'female triumph.' 'We can make it to the end alive, physically or emotionally, and we will, and we do, and we thrive. Even when it doesn't feel possible. Even when we are in sharp pain,' she said. 'Never underestimate a woman's ability to endure pain.' Lively admitted that she 'has so much to say about the last two years of my life,' but said that 'tonight is not the forum,' to share such thoughts. (Lively filed a complaint against Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director of It Ends With Us, in December 2024. Since then, the two have been involved in dueling lawsuits related to her harassment and retaliation allegations, which he has denied.) Her speech shed a spotlight on the women whose experiences have influenced her, and whose pain and struggles allowed her to be a woman with a 'voice' today. 'Thank you to every woman whose strength brought life to me and my four children, and thank you to every man—including my sweet husband—who are kind and good when no one is watching,' she concluded. 'And to all the communities across the gender, age, political, geographical, and racial spectrum who fight every day just to be safe, I see you.' ——— The TIME100 Gala is TIME's annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world's most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations for one lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration. TIME is teaming up with ABC to bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with a special television event. TIME100: The World's Most Influential People, produced in partnership with P&G, airs Sunday, May 4 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu, featuring host Snoop Dogg, a performance by Ed Sheeran, and appearances by Demi Moore, Serena Williams, and more. The 2025 TIME100 Gala was presented by Circle, Diriyah Company, Prudential Financial, Toyota, Amazon, Absolut, Pfizer, and XPRIZE. Contact us at letters@
