Veteran CNN international anchor Christiane Amanpour claimed that she believed Israeli hostages — released on Monday after just over two years in captivity under the control of Hamas terrorists — were likely treated better than Gazan civilians as Hamas and Israel waged war on each other.
Amanpour argued that the hostages, to Hamas militants, had more value than civilians did because they could be used as leverage in negotiations. She left out the fact that Hamas had killed a number of the hostages outright, leverage or not.
WATCH:
CNN’s Christine Amanpour: “The Israeli hostages have probably been treated better than the average Gazan because they are the pawns & chips that Hamas had.”
Evyatar David was quite literally forced to dig his own grave.
Absolutely unacceptable from CNN.pic.twitter.com/ji5ShHpeOG
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) October 13, 2025
“I pretty much can assure you that one, that once those doors are opened, it will be a scene of absolute, abject horror,” she began. “And I think for sure, people who start to talk to the hostages who have only just been released, will find that it will take a long, long time for them to recover physically, but also mentally.”
“It’s been a terrible, terrible two years for them, because not only are they there — you know, they’re probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had,” she added. “Now, Hamas has given up all of its leverage, by the way, by giving them all up. So that is a victory for the Israeli side. But they will have had so much horror and terror as well, because they were also in the war zone, many of them underground, we understand.”
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A number of critics pushed back on Amanpour’s assessment, sharing photos and stories of hostages who might take a different view.
“CNN’s Christine Amanpour said that the Israeli hostages were treated well. Here is Evyatar David completely emaciated, as Hamas forces him to dig his own grave,” one posted.
CNN’s Christine Amanpour said that the Israeli hostages were treated well.
Here is Evyatar David completely emaciated, as Hamas forces him to dig his own grave. pic.twitter.com/9AhVAEZNkw
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) October 13, 2025
“What on earth are you talking about?? The hostages were starved, tortured, and subjected to sexual violence. Your words are Hamas propaganda on steroids,” a post from Israel’s Foreign Ministry declared.
.@amanpour what on earth are you talking about??
The hostages were starved, tortured, and subjected to sexual violence.
Your words are Hamas propaganda on steroids. pic.twitter.com/hGQepIZNot— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 13, 2025
“@amanpour knows the hostages did not receive the aid Israel allowed into Gaza or medicines that were specifically sent to them. This is either just a brain malfunction or something much more disturbing,” Joel Pollak posted.
.@amanpour knows the hostages did not receive the aid Israel allowed into Gaza or medicines that were specifically sent to them. This is either just a brain malfunction or something much more disturbing. https://t.co/Cs0AFVc5gK
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) October 13, 2025
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