The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes US -Geisel and illegal prisoner day

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews its emphasis on the Americans, who are wrongly arrested and are kept as hostage overseas. This initiative coincides with a day of commemoration for those who have never returned home, and for those who are still captured abroad.

According to the Foley Foundation, 34 Americans are currently being held hostage or wrongly in several countries, including Russia, Venezuela and Cuba. However, these cases are only publicly recognized, and the actual number is probably higher due to the fluidity of the situation and the decisions of the families to withhold details about their relatives.

Related history | Trump spends ultimatum, says hell will break out if hostages are not published

The events on Thursday in the Foreign Ministry recognize the annual Geisel and the unlawful prisoner, where a hostage flag was increased in addition to the American flag.

In particular, the parents of Edan Alexander, who were kept as the last living American hostage in Gaza, spoke at the event. Diane Foley, mother of journalist Jim Foley, who was killed in Syria in 2012, also spoke to the crowd. Since the death of her son, she has been a strong advocate for those who are wrongly imprisoned in overseas.

Foley informed her thoughts about the transition between the bid and Trump administrations in relation to hostage matters, with Roger Carstens, the former special representative under Biden, to Adam Boehler, the new envoy appointed by Trump.

“It was extremely seamless and I have to credit everyone who was in the bid on the incoming Trump government,” she said. “It just leaves me so hopefully.”

Related history | US

The meeting also celebrated the recent return of several Americans, including Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel from Russia, two Americans from Gaza and about half a dozen people who had been held in Venezuela.

The FBI director Kash Patel, who participated in the event, confirmed the agency's commitment to bring the Americans home and to call them a “apolitical mission”.

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