Israeli Hostages Update: 2 More of Our Clients, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, Released!

We are pleased that two of the hostages who were released on the eve of President Trump’s inauguration are ACLJ clients. It’s a tremendous victory for them and their families after more than 15 months in Hamas captivity.

The ACLJ has always been committed to supporting and defending Israel. We have done so in international tribunals and other international bodies, as well as within the United States, for decades. Since the horrific attack on innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, our commitment to advocating for the immediate return of Israeli hostages has not ceased. In addition to our advocacy efforts, we represented 10 hostages at the United Nations Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID). The mandate of the WGEID is to assist families with determining the fate or whereabouts of disappeared loved ones.

I have been able to personally advocate for the release of the hostages before the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and was able to meet with the WGEID in Geneva last year to personally discuss the plight of our clients. Unfortunately, Hamas has never released any information complying with any requests made by the WGEID. To date, two of our 10 clients have been killed, six have been released, including Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher this week, and two remain. We do not know the status of our two remaining clients but are hopeful that they too will be returned as we have a new Administration that possesses the same desire for Hamas to be defeated and all hostages to be released.

Even before the attack on October 7, we drew attention to the illegal ties of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to the UNHRC and have repeatedly requested defunding and a denial of continuing UNRWA’s mandate. Since October 7, it has been confirmed with overwhelming evidence that as many as 1,200 staff members of UNRWA have ties to Hamas. And even more horrifically, many of the hostages were held by UNRWA staff or in U.N. camps. This is true for our two clients who were just released after 471 grueling days in captivity. Both Doron and Emily reported being held at some point at a U.N. camp.

Sadly, even though the U.N. has been provided with overwhelming evidence of the criminal actions of UNRWA, the only action the U.N. has taken has been the firing of nine staff members, with absolutely no other repercussions. It is past time for the U.N. to take decisive action to correct and end the corruption within its own organization. UNRWA’s mandate must end! 

We are praising the Lord for the return of Doron and Emily, along with all the other hostages who have been returned. However, we will not stop advocating for the safe return of all the remaining hostages, nor will we stop defending and supporting Israel’s right to exist peacefully. Please join us as we pray and work toward that end.