Judith and Natalie Raanan, two American women kidnapped in Israel during Hamas’ terrorist attack, were released by Hamas militants on Friday after 2 weeks in captivity.
The mother and daughter were in Israel to “celebrate a relative’s 85th birthday and the Jewish holiday season,” according to the Times of Israel.
Social commentator Shaun King claimed to have the ability to help negotiate their release … but the family is claiming that he’s lying.
Two weeks ago, Shaun went on social media and claimed that Natalie’s family contacted him and asked him to help “find [Natalie Raanan] and bring her to safety.”
“Natalie and her family are supporters of mine,” he claimed. “I believe we have confirmed that she was NOT killed in Israel, but we are just asking for proof of life right now.”
Shaun claimed that he had the ability to “confidentially help broker her return.”
And after the two women were released on Friday, Shaun appeared to take credit for negotiating their return.
“As I said last week, Natalie and her family have been supporters of mine and protested police violence in America alongside us,” he said. “Dozens of us worked frantically behind the scenes to help make this possible. I spoke to Natalie’s family this afternoon and they are anxiously awaiting more updates.”
Here’s the family’s response, taken from an Israeli news article:
“First and foremost, we make it clear that he is lying!” the statement read. “Our family does not and did not have anything to do with him, neither directly nor indirectly. Not to him and not to anything he claims to represent.”
“Natalie told us that this morning it was the first time in her life that she came across Shaun King’s name and his posts, after she finally got a phone call after two horrific weeks in captivity in Gaza, and was looking for what was written about her while she was away,” the family continued. “Shaun King is trying to catch a ride on the great exposure that her kidnapping received all over the world and in the U.S. in particular, and the most ridiculous thing is that Natalie and her mother Judith are very active in Rabbi Hecht’s Jewish community in Chicago and in the Chabad house, and if Shaun King knew them or their family he would know that.”
