In a bizarre turn of events, former BLM activist Shaun King has claimed credit for the release of two American hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas during a violent attack on Israel on October 7. However, the family of the hostages has refuted King's claims, stating that they had no contact with him and that he had no involvement in the release.
The two hostages, Judith and Natalie Raanan, were released by Hamas on Thursday, citing "humanitarian reasons" influenced by the country of Qatar. However, in an attempt to claim credit for their release, Shaun King took to social media, thanking the Qataris and suggesting that the hostages were his "supporters" who had even protested against police violence.
But the family of the hostages has dismissed King's claims as false. In a statement, they asserted that they had never had any contact with King and were not aware of his existence until after their release. Natalie even stated that she had only come across King's name when she was looking for news articles about her kidnapping.
Furthermore, the family clarified that a member of the family had reached out to King, but it was done without their knowledge and does not reflect their views or involvement in any way. They also mentioned that Natalie and her mother were active members of the Jewish community in Chicago and had no connections to King or his activism.
This did not stop King from publishing private messages between him and the family member who had reached out to him and even claimed to have recorded their conversations. The family has since distanced themselves from this member and stated that they reached out to various individuals and organizations for help in securing the release of their loved ones.
The claim by King has raised suspicion and criticism, with many questioning his motives and credibility. It is unclear why King would make these false claims, but it has only added unnecessary drama to an already traumatic situation for the family.
The family's ordeal began on October 7 when Hamas launched a violent attack on Israel, resulting in the kidnapping of Judith and Natalie Raanan. After two weeks of being held hostage, the two women were finally released, reuniting with their families.
The family has asked for privacy and time to heal from the traumatic experience. They have also stated that they have no further comments to make on King's claims. It remains unclear why King would try to insert himself into this situation and take credit for the release of the hostages, but it is clear that the family wants nothing to do with him.
In the end, the truth remains that two innocent women were held hostage for two weeks, and their release was influenced by the country of Qatar and not by any external individual. The family has yet to discover the reason behind King's false claims and hopes that he will stop trying to take credit for a situation in which he had no involvement.
