Christiane Amanpour apologized on air Monday after making “insensitive” and “wrong” comments about the Israeli hostages being treated better than many Gazans in the wake of their release as part of a cease-fire deal with Hamas.
On Monday, the CNN chief international anchor took back comments she made as Hamas released all 20 living hostages. She stated earlier in the day that the Israeli hostages might have had it easier than everyday Gazan citizens.
“Now, earlier live on air, I spoke about what a day of real joy this is for Israeli families whose loved ones are finally being returned from two years of horrific Hamas captivity, and for civilians in Gaza who finally had reprieve from two of brutal and deadly war,” Amanpour said in her apology later Monday. “I noted that for the hostages who are finally home, it’ll take a long time for them to recover mentally and physically, but I regret also saying that they might have been treated better than many Gazans because Hamas used these hostages as pawns and bargaining chips.”
Watch her full statement below:
She continued: “But that was insensitive, and it was wrong. 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. They’ve told me, as you’ve just heard, 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.”
Earlier Monday, Amanpour was prompted by anchor Kaitlan Collins for her “big picture” thoughts on the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. It was then that she said the Israeli hostages might have had an easier time than Palestinians since the war began in 2023.
“I pretty much can assure you that one, that once those doors are opened, it will be a scene of absolute, abject horror,” Amanpour said. “And I think for sure, people who start to talk to the hostages who have only just been released, will find that it will take a long, long time for them to recover physically, but also mentally.
“It’s been a terrible, terrible two years for them, because not only are they there — you know, they’re probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had. Now, Hamas has given up all of its leverage, by the way, by giving them all up. So that is a victory for the Israeli side.”
She finished: “But they will have had so much horror and terror as well, because they were also in the war zone, many of them underground, we understand.”
