Reporter's Notebook: Remembering Liora Argamani, mother of an Israeli hostage
TEL AVIV — “Thank goodness she got her hug,” was the first thought that went through my mind when news of Liora Argamani’s death was announced Tuesday morning.
Liora, born Lee Tchuin Hung in Wuhan, China, was former Israeli hostage Noa Argamani’s mother. She battled brain cancer for years and succumbed to the disease in a Tel Aviv hospital overnight Monday.
I met Liora Argamani in October, mere days after her daughter was abducted by Gaza militants from the NOVA dance party she was attending with her boyfriend Avinatan Or. A video of the younger Argamani and her boyfriend’s abduction and her mother’s plea for Noa’s life as she was forcibly driven on a motorbike toward Gaza went viral.
On the day I visited the Argamani family home in Israel’s Beer Sheba desert, dozens of family members, social workers, community members, Noa Argamani’s closest friends and clergy affiliates were moving around inside the house and on the front patio. A professional caretaker helped Liora navigate, pushing her walker with one arm while moving to a private room for our interview. Her other arm was in a sling.
A friend of the family confided: “Her brain cancer relapsed. She battled it for years and it went into remission but now it’s back and as you can see, it’s affecting her arm and she has lost a lot of weight.”
Liora was born in Wuhan and moved to Israel after meeting her future husband, Yaakov. Noa, their only child, was born and brought up in Israel.
Liora spoke to me in Mandarin because she hoped that despite her lapsed Chinese citizenship, an appeal might be seen by someone in China’s government who might be motivated to intervene on Noa’s behalf and pressure Hamas for her daughter’s release.
Liora was composed and smiled brightly throughout most of the interview as she described the “strong, bold qualities” she felt certain would guarantee her daughter’s survival in captivity. She disclosed information about Noa’s growing up and showed me pictures of a toddler and elementary-school-age Noa. Liora also shared her vision of a reunion.
“I’ve imagined that scene so many times,” she said, her face brightening with a broad smile. “First, I’ll give her a very big hug. And for sure we’ll need to give her a big party.”
As the months dragged on and the war in Gaza expanded with scant information about the fate of hundreds of Hamas-held hostages, a party, hug and hope seemed remote.
Noa was not among 105 hostages released in November 2023 as part of an Israel-Hamas deal.
In late November, Liora released a video appeal to her captors.
“I have cancer, brain cancer,” she said in a message recorded while sitting in a wheelchair in a Tel Aviv apartment near her cancer treatment clinic. Liora Argamani appeared gaunt and exhausted in the clip.
“I don’t know how much time I have left. I wish for the chance to see my Noa at home,” she beseeched.
At that stage, no sign of life from Noa had surfaced from Gaza. Then in mid-January, Hamas released a propaganda video showing hostages Itai Svirsky, Yossi Sharabi and Noa Argamani calling directly for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the war in Gaza and save their lives.
In March, Liora Argamani released a second video appeal, this time directed at U.S. President Joe Biden. Face swollen beyond recognition and right eye squeezed shut due to seeming neurological side effects caused by the terminal cancer, Argamani struggled to speak in mixed Hebrew and English.
“I’m asking you, Joe Biden. I don’t have much time left in this world. It may be my last wish. I am really begging you. Please help me.”
Two months later, Hamas released another propaganda recording — this time of Noa’s voice — urging Tel Aviv residents to take to the streets in protest until a hostage release was secured. “Please don’t let Netanyahu and his government kill us,” she said in the recording.
Eight days later, Noa Argamani and three other hostages were rescued by the Israeli army in a dramatic raid after eight months in captivity. According to members of the unit that carried out the operation, one of Noa’s first questions after being secured was whether her mother was still alive.
Hours after being helicoptered from Gaza to freedom, Noa was flown to her mother’s bedside at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov hospital.
Undergoing de-briefings and mental and physical recovery from eight months of Hamas captivity, Noa Argamani has remained in seclusion since the rescue.
Last Saturday night, the younger Argamani broke her silence with the release of a video message played to thousands of attendees at a Tel Aviv Hostage Release rally. Calling for a deal to secure the release of 116 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, Argamani spoke of her experience.
“As an only child to my parents — and a daughter to a mother with a terminal illness — my biggest worry in captivity was for my parents,” she shared in the video message.
Two days later, her mother succumbed to her disease. Although hospital officials declined to clarify the level of Liora’s awareness of Noa’s return, a spokesperson said she believes Liora felt her presence and the warmth of her daughter’s embrace.