CNN Anchor Chokes Back Tears Reading Letter From Terminally Ill Mother Pleading for Hamas to Release Daughter

CNN International anchor John Vause broke down on air this week while reading a plea from a terminally ill mother, whose daughter is still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

“The past 81 days have been nothing short of a living nightmare for the families of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza,” Vause began, adding:

Time is not on their side, and that goes both ways for Liora Argamani, whose daughter was kidnapped on October 7th. But Liora is terminally ill and has just one wish, to see her daughter again before she dies. In a letter to the US president, she wrote, “I am terminally ill with stage four brain cancer.”

“Well, it’s. Excuse me,” Vause stopped, choking back tears.

“All that’s running through my mind before I part ways with my family forever is to have the chance to hug my daughter, my only child one last time. The video you are about to see is disturbing,” he added before showing the video of Liora’s daughter Noa being taken by Hamas gunmen from a music festival in Israel as she pleads for them not to kill her.

Argamani’s letter to President Joe Biden added, “It’s Christmas now, and I would like to request from you, Mr. President, as a present, to see my daughter again before I leave this world.” Argamani noted she is aware “how important family is” for Biden and admired the “incredible bond” he has with his kids.

“My daughter Noa is a contagiously happy and resilient young woman. She loves to dance, loves music, loves being with her friends and family. She deserves to be back where she belongs, pursuing her dreams, surrounded by love and care. She deserves to see her mother alive one last time,” Argamani added.

Liora Argamani is Chinese, which resulted in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the week asking China’s President Xi Jinping to step in and pressure Hamas to release Noa.

Watch above via CNN.