Christiane Amanpour apologizes for saying freed – Business News
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour apologized Monday after claiming that Israeli hostages freed from Hamas captivity had been “treated better” than Gazans — remarks that provoked livid backlash from Israel supporters.
The longtime worldwide correspondent retracted her assertion on air simply hours after Hamas launched the ultimate 20 dwelling hostages beneath a cease-fire settlement brokered by the United States and Egypt.
“That was insensitive, and it was wrong,” Amanpour mentioned during a broadcast on Monday.
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour apologized Monday after claiming that Israeli hostages freed from Hamas captivity had been “treated better” than Gazans. @amanpour/X
“From speaking to many former hostages and their families, like everyone, I’ve been horrified at what Hamas has subjected them to over two long years,” the veteran anchor and correspondent mentioned on Monday.
“They’ve told me … their stories of barely being able to breathe in the tunnels, not being allowed to cry, being starved, and made to dig their own graves. And of course, today, some of the hostages are coming back in body bags.”
Amanpour’s mea culpa got here after she earlier advised CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins that the hostages “were probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had.”
The comment, which aired stay during CNN’s protection of the release of Israeli hostages, instantly drew condemnation from viewers and Israeli commentators who accused her of minimizing the victims’ struggling.
The timing of her feedback — coinciding with the emotional return of the surviving hostages — additional infected outrage. Images broadcast throughout Israel confirmed emaciated women and men reuniting with family after 738 days of captivity in Hamas’ tunnels.
Among them was Israeli soldier Matan Angrest, who family mentioned was overwhelmed till he misplaced consciousness. His mom advised native Israeli media that her son spent months confined in pitch darkness.
Released Israeli hostage Eitan Mor (middle) is embraced by his household after being handed over in a prisoner-hostage swap and a cease-fire deal on Monday. Israeli Army/AFP by way of Getty Images
“Many times they found themselves buried in dust under the rubble, trying to climb out and survive,” she mentioned.
Others, together with Evyatar David, 24, and Rom Braslavski, 21, had been held in isolation, starved and compelled to dig their own graves. Hospital officers mentioned most of the freed captives arrived severely malnourished and affected by infections and muscle atrophy after years underground.
Amanpour mentioned she was trying to spotlight the humanitarian toll of the warfare in Gaza however admitted her phrasing was “insensitive.”
Earlier stay on air, I spoke about what a day of actual pleasure that is, for Israeli households whose family members are lastly being returned from two years of horrific Hamas captivity, and for civilians in Gaza, who’ve lastly had a reprieve from two years of brutal, lethal warfare.I… pic.twitter.com/3OppU0kUhR— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) October 13, 2025
“It’ll take a long time for [the hostages] to recover mentally and physically,” she mentioned.
“But I regret also saying that they might have been treated better than many Gazans.”
The pro-Israel media watchdog HonestReporting blasted Amanpour, writing on its X account: “Starved, electrocuted, held in chains & cages underground, forced to dig their own graves. Is that what she considers being treated better than the average Gazan?”
The cease-fire settlement known as for Israel to release Palestinian prisoners (above). Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The hostages had been taken captive two years in the past when Hamas staged its Oct. 7, 2023, terror assault as gunmen stormed southern Israel, massacring about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages into Gaza.
The violence ignited one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts in Israel’s historical past.
Under the US- and Egypt-brokered cease-fire, Hamas freed its remaining captives in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and the return of more than 300 our bodies.
.@amanpour: The Israeli hostages have “probably been treated better than the average Gazan because they are the pawns & the chips that Hamas had.”Starved, electrocuted, held in chains & cages underground, pressured to dig their own graves.Is that what she considers being handled… pic.twitter.com/RxNYOhwSF5— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 13, 2025
The Red Cross oversaw the switch Monday as Israel halted fight operations and commenced withdrawing troops from a lot of Gaza.
President Trump traveled to Israel and Egypt for the cease-fire ceremony and hailed the settlement as “the end of an age of terror and death” during an hourlong tackle to the Knesset.
Standing beside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump declared that Israel had “won all that they can by force of arms” and known as the truce “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”
After his speech, Trump flew to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, the place he joined regional leaders to signal the formal Gaza peace accord, calling it “maybe the greatest deal of them all.”
Evyatar David, a 24-year-old Israeli hostage, is seen above in a Hamas propaganda video trying emaciated and writing on paper with a pen whereas in captivity. Al-Qassam Brigade Footage
The settlement requires Hamas to disarm and authorizes an worldwide physique to supervise Gaza’s reconstruction.
Humanitarian convoys carrying food, medication and provides have begun getting into the enclave, in keeping with worldwide displays.
The Post has sought remark from CNN.
