Noa Argamani, an Israeli hostage who was recently released from Gaza, came to the spotlight again after she criticized the Israeli media for misrepresenting her experiences, particularly the claim that Hamas had beaten her all over her body during her captivity in Gaza. Israeli media and officials frequently exploit their hostages in Gaza for propaganda.
Who Is Noa Argamani?
Noa Argamani, a 26-year-old Israeli woman, was freed from captivity in Gaza in June 2024. She was among four Israeli captives rescued during an Israeli attack on Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of at least 236 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
IOF Spokesman Daniel Hagari justified the killing of hundreds of civilians for the sake of releasing four hostages, saying, "We know about under 100 [Palestinian] casualties. I don’t know how many of them are terrorists."
Argamani was later referred to prominently by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his speech to the U.S. Congress in July.
Israeli Media Claims Noa Argamani Was Beaten by Hamas
During a meeting with G7 diplomats in Tokyo on Wednesday, Noa Argamani shared her experience after being taken hostage by the Palestinian Resistance during the October 7 Operation.
An article in the Jerusalem Post initially carried the headline "Hamas beat me all over my body," echoing similar claims made by other Hebrew-language websites.
For example, Israel National News reported that Argamani had been injured by the bombing of the building she was in and quoted her as saying, "All my head was cut, and I was hit all over my body, but nobody came to visit me, nobody came to see me, nobody came to give me medical aid, nobody, until I was rescued."
In addition, Israeli outlets accused Al-Qassam Brigades of harming her physically and cutting her hair.
Argamani Criticizes Israeli Media for Distorting Her Testimony
Former Israeli prisoner Noa Argamani has criticized the Israeli media for taking her statements out of context and denied claims that she was beaten by members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. In an Instagram story posted on August 23, Argamani clarified that the Qassam Brigades did not physically harm her or cut her hair. Instead, she sustained injuries when a wall collapsed during an Israeli airstrike.
“I can’t ignore what happened in the media in the last 24 hours. Things were taken out of context,” Argamani stated in an Instagram story posted to her account on 23 August.
“I was not beaten and my hair was not cut. I was in a building that was bombed by the Air Force. The exact quote is: ‘This past weekend, after the shooting, as I said, I had cuts all over my head and was injured all over my body.’ I emphasize that I was not beaten, but injured all over my body by the collapse of a building on me,” Argamani added.
She went on to say that as a “victim of 7 October I will not allow myself to be victimized once again.”
Did Israeli and Western Media Report on Noa’s Frustration Over Altered Testimony?
Misbar’s investigative team found that Israeli media did not accurately report Noa Argamani’s frustration over the manipulation of her story for propaganda purposes. Renowned outlets like The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and Israel National News not only failed to cover the misrepresentation of her statements credibly but also did not edit their published articles to correct the inaccuracies.
Western media outlets also failed to report Noa Argamani’s true account of her injuries, which were caused by Israeli airstrikes, rather than any mistreatment by the Palestine Resistance. This lack of coverage further obscured the reality of her experience.
Israeli Embassies Claim Noa Argamani Is a Civilian
In March 2024, several embassies, including the Embassy of Israel to the U.S. and the Embassy of Israel in Austria, released a video showing Noa Argamani’s life before her abduction by the Al-Qassam Brigades, showing her enjoying various activities in different countries. The video suggests that Noa attended a music festival on October 7 before being taken by Hamas.
Misbar's team conducted a thorough search of Noa's social media accounts and found several photos on her Instagram showing her serving in the Israeli military. However, her account was later made private. One of the photos clearly shows her at the Ashdod Naval Base, dressed in an Israeli military uniform. After her release, photos showing her in the IOF uniform were deleted from her Instagram account.
Israel Exploits Hostages for Propaganda Purposes
Israel has consistently used captives abducted in Gaza for propaganda purposes, exploiting their situations to justify its ongoing genocidal campaign against Gazan civilians. This approach has included justifying collective punishment in response to the October 7 Operation, portraying Gaza as devoid of civilians. Misbar has highlighted how Israeli officials imply that Gaza should be treated as Hamas.
One of the cases showing how Israel and Western media spread misinformation in favor of Israel is Mia Schem’s arm operation in Gaza. After Mia Schem’s release on November 30, 2023, Israeli and Western media outlets focused on claims that a veterinarian from Gaza performed surgery on Schem’s arm. However, Christophe Oberlin, a renowned French surgeon specializing in microsurgery and hand surgery, refuted this assertion, stating that the claims are completely unfounded.
In another instance, on May 23, families released footage of five female Israeli captives taken at Nahal Oz in a desperate attempt to pressure Netanyahu to agree to a hostage deal with Hamas.
However, Israeli government-affiliated accounts falsely claimed that the five hostages were Israeli civilians, fabricating the narrative surrounding the video. Israel has exploited this footage for propaganda purposes to further its campaign against Gazan civilians.
Previously, Misbar’s team extensively debunked the claim, focusing on misleading aspects present in the released video.
Over 40,265 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrikes
At least 40,265 people have been killed and 93,144 wounded in Israel’s barbaric war on Gaza.
A United Nations official stated that Palestinian children are "paying the heaviest price" as Gaza faces critical humanitarian aid shortages and a rise in malnutrition. Earlier today, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) confirmed that a 10-month-old baby in Gaza has become paralyzed due to the virus, marking the first case in over 25 years.
Read More
Noa Argamani, a Captive of Hamas, Confirmed to Serve in Israeli Military
Israeli-French Captive Mia Schem’s Arm Was Operated on by a Surgeon, Not a Veterinarian
