Freed hostage Mia Schem, relatives of Hamas captives to attend State of the Union
Freed Hamas hostage Mia Schem and at least 17 relatives of those still being held captive in Gaza have been invited to attend President Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday.
Schem, the 21-year-old French Israeli tattoo artist who was kidnapped during the Nova festival massacre and had to receive surgery in captivity, will attend the address as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), the Jewish Insider reports.
“Mia spent more than 50 days in captivity after being kidnapped on Oct. 7,” Johnson said in a statement. “I’m proud to stand with Mia and join her in demanding the release [of] all the hostages still held captive by Hamas. We must continue to fight to get them home.”
Schem said she was honored to be invited to Washington and grateful to Johnson for allowing her the chance to show her “gratitude for all the United States Government has done to assist the people of Israel in their time of need.”
The 21-year-old made headlines during her captivity when she was forced to appear in a Hamas propaganda video and praise her captors for treating her injured arm after she was shot during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
Before she was freed during the temporary cease-fire in November, Schem said, she spent her days in Gaza under constant fear that she would be raped and killed by her captors.
US Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) has also invited the mother and brother of hostage Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old who deferred his acceptance to Binghamton University to join the Israeli military and follow in his parents’ footsteps.
“When President Biden delivers his State of the Union on Thursday, I hope he will look at the faces of the Neutras and other family members of hostages and reaffirm America’s commitment to bring their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, grandparents, and grandchildren home safely,” Lawler told the Insider.
Neutra’s father will also be attending the speech as a guest of newly elected Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY).
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) is set to bring Schem’s mother, Keren Scharf Schem, as his guest to the president’s address, while Sens. Ted Bud (R-NC) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) will host the family of hostage Keith Siegel.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Donald Norcross (D-NJ) have invited the family of Edan Alexander.
Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) will attend the State of Union with the father of Segui Dekel-Chen, while Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) will host the hostage’s stepmother, Gillian Kaye.
“We will only be whole again with the return of all hostages and appreciate so much the partnership with our congresspeople who have advocated tirelessly on our behalf,” Kaye said in a statement.
The family of Itay Chen will also attend as guests of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), who also invited a cousin of Liat Atzili.
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) invited the aunt of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
The sister of hostages Judy Weinstein and Gad Haggai will attend as guests of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
