Families of American hostages captured by Hamas turn to Donald Trump for new hope

The families of US hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain in agony, waiting for any sign that their loved ones might finally come home to them.

The families of US hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain in agony, waiting for any sign that their loved ones might finally come home to them. Now, more than a year into the Israel-Hamas conflict and on the heels of last week’s US presidential election, some of those families are turning to one man with renewed hope: President-elect Donald Trump. Ruby Chen, whose son Itay was a 19-year-old soldier in the Israeli military when he was killed on October 7, is still waiting for the return of his son’s remains. Chen, along with family members of a handful of other dual US-Israeli hostages – some of whom have been confirmed dead – plan to meet with President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the White House Tuesday afternoon. Chen told CNN on Tuesday that with Trump now poised to return to the White House for a second term, he is not alone in hoping that the next US president – who has famously marketed himself throughout his career as the ultimately dealmaker – might be able to accomplish what Biden has failed to thus far: Secure the return of the American hostages. “He’s always been ‘America First,’” Chen said of Trump. “He cares about the topic of American hostages and now it’s time to see his recommitment to the topic, and have American hostages come out before January 20.” Chen added that he would be glad to see a social media post from Trump about the US hostages in Gaza, which he would take as a serious indication of the president-elect’s dedication to the issue.