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Congress members urge Biden to exonerate Black civil rights leader Marcus Garvey

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A group of 21 House Democrats signed a letter urging the president to exonerate former civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, according to a statement sent by the lawmakers to ABC News on Monday.

Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY) led the panel of lawmakers — mostly from the Congressional Black Caucus — to exonerate Garvey on the heels of President Joe Biden’s commutation of 37 sentences from federal death row on Monday.

Garvey, one of the earliest internationally-known Black civil rights leaders, was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 and was given a five-year sentence, according to a letter sent to Biden from the Congress members, obtained by ABC News. President Calvin Coolidge pardoned Garvey two years into his sentence. Garvey was immediately deported to his birth country of Jamaica.

“Exonerating Mr. Garvey would honor his work for the Black community, remove the shadow of an unjust conviction, and further this administration’s promise to advance racial justice,” the lawmakers said in the letter to the president. “At a time when Black history faces the existential threat of erasure by radical state legislatures, a presidential pardon for Mr. Garvey would correct the historical record and restore the legacy of an American hero.”

Congress members have been trying for decades to clear Garvey’s name, according to the congress members. Congressman John Conyers led hearings in 1987 for the House Judiciary Committee on Garvey’s exoneration. Congressman Charles Rangel introduced resolutions, highlighting alleged injustices against the former civil rights leader in 2004.

“Exactly 101 years ago, Mr. Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in a case that was marred by prosecutorial and governmental misconduct,” The congress members said in the letter. “The evidence paints an abundantly clear narrative that the charges against Mr. Garvey were not only fabricated but also targeted to criminalize, discredit, and silence him as a civil rights leader.”

The White House did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for a response.

Garvey, who was born in Jamaica in 1887, was a notable Pan-Africanist, believing that people of African descent around the world should be unified because of their alleged common interests.

Garvey was the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) which was created to challenge racial inequality, according to the lawmakers. The organization championed self-determination and economic independence for Black people at a time when Jim Crow laws oppressed African Americans and colonization subjugated Africans on their own continent.

Garvey also established the Black Star Line, one of the first Black-owned shipping companies in the Western Hemisphere, connecting Black businesses across the Americas, according to the lawmakers. The civil rights leader eventually wanted to route the vessels to Africa for a redemption program, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. He wanted to establish a nation for those who were born into slavery or were the descendants of enslaved people, according to The Washington Post.

Garvey also created the Negro World Newspaper which, at its peak, reached a circulation of 200,000 readers weekly, according to the congressmembers.

Garvey shared the segregationist views of the Ku Klux Klan as he sought a separate state for those of the African diaspora, according to The Washington Post.

“I regard the Klan the Anglo Saxon clubs and white American societies as far as the Negro is concerned, as better friends of the race than all other groups of hypocritical whites put together,” Garvey said according to The New York Times.

Other Black civil rights activists were outraged. W. E. B. Du Bois said Garvey was the most dangerous enemy of the Negro race and was either “a lunatic or a traitor,” according to PBS. Du Bois also said Garvey “suffered from serious defects of temperament and training.”

The newly formed Bureau of Investigation, later becoming the FBI, and the director of its intelligence division, a-young J. Edgar Hoover, brought mail fraud proceedings against Garvey in connection to the sale of Black Star Line shipping stock, according to The Washington Post. He was sentenced to five years in prison and served two years before his pardon and eventual deportation by Coolidge.

The FBI declined ABC News’ request for a comment.

Garvey never returned to the U.S. again, according to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

“As we approach the conclusion of your administration, this moment provides a chance to leave an indelible mark on history,” the lawmakers told Biden in their letter.

ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.

Christmas blackouts in Ukraine after ‘massive’ Russian strike

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Ukrainians faced fresh Russian drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure nationwide on Tuesday night into Christmas Day morning, with the energy minister in Kyiv warning of immediate power cuts.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, “Every Russian massive strike takes time to prepare. It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a conscious choice not only of targets, but also of time and date.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy said, “deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhuman? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred strike drones. The targets are our energy sector. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”

“According to preliminary data, our defenders managed to shoot down more than 50 missiles and a significant part of the drones,” Zelenskyy said. “Unfortunately, there are hits. As of now, there are outages in several regions. Energy workers are working to restore the power supply as soon as possible.”

Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 78 missiles of various types into the country, of which 59 were shot down. Russia also launched 106 strike drones, of which 54 were shot down and 52 were lost in flight, the air force added.

“The enemy attacks energy again massively,” Energy Minister German Galushchenko wrote in a statement posted to Facebook early Wednesday. Grid operators, he added, were implementing “necessary consumption restriction measures to minimize negative consequences for the energy system.”

When the security situation allows, “the power companies will specify the damage caused,” Galushchenko added. “Stay tuned for official announcements. While the danger lasts — stay in shelters!”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha‎ said in a statement posted to X, “This Christmas terror is Putin’s response to those who spoke about illusionary ‘Christmas ceasefire’.”

“One Russian missile passed Moldovan and Romanian airspace, reminding that Russia threatens not only Ukraine,” Sybiha added.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram that it “carried out a massive strike with long-range precision weapons and strike drones on critical energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine that ensure the operation of the military-industrial complex.”

“The strike’s goal was achieved,” the ministry said. “All facilities were hit.”

The ministry said its forces also shot down 59 Ukrainian drones overnight.

This year is the second in which Ukraine will officially celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25. Previously, many Ukrainians celebrated Christmas in January per the Orthodox calendar, as Russian Orthodox adherents still do.

“For the second time, we celebrate Christmas on the same date as one big family, one country,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on Tuesday. “For the second time in modern history, Christmas unites all Ukrainians.”

“Today, we stand side by side, and we will not be lost,” Zelenskyy added. “In person, from afar, or in our hearts — Ukrainians are together today. And as long as we do this, evil has no chance.”

How to avoid the emergency room during the holidays

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Three states — Louisiana, Kentucky and New Hampshire — are reporting high levels of respiratory illness, including common cold, flu, RSV and COVID, according to the CDC. In addition, children under four are currently experiencing the highest levels of RSV hospitalizations.

Dr. Neil C. Bhavsar, an emergency medicine resident at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit, said that those illnesses come out “roaring” at this time of year because people are staying indoors, coming from all over and spending time with family.

He wants people to know the severity of their illness and where to go so it’s best treated, he said.

“Urgent Care is a quick fix,” Bhavsar said. Typically, it’s best for non-life-threatening conditions that are addressed within 30 minutes to a few hours.

“The ER or the emergency department is for serious injuries, life-threatening illness or something that can become very serious,” he said.

He explains that respiratory illnesses may take a few days to figure out.

“When we’re talking about respiratory illnesses, I would say, if you’re not feeling too well for like two to three days, have a low grade fever, a cough that’s been lingering for a little bit longer than you want, some facial pressure, sinus pressure, congestion, urgent care is your friend,” Bhavsar said.

But he warns that if “your fingertips are blue, your lips are blue, you’re feeling short of breath and you have chest pain” to go to the emergency department. Any child with these symptoms, especially trouble breathing, should be evaluated in an emergency room.

For upper respiratory illnesses, Bhavsar urges people to stay hydrated.

“Drink warm fluids, soup, broths, hot teas, you can try a nasal spray for congestion and honey is a big thing we’ve been doing for a sore throat or a cough,” Bhavsar said. But he warns honey should never be given to infants or anyone less than a year old due to the risk of a severe illness called botulism.

He also recommends steam inhalation and over-the-counter decongestants for respiratory illnesses, but these should not be used for more than 3-5 days in a row.

In addition, Bhavsar said ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with body aches and chills. Always follow dosing instructions, ages for use, and consult with a physician if uncertain on how to take any these medications.

FDA escalates recall of Costco eggs to include risks of ‘severe illness or death’

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — In the days leading up to Christmas, the Food and Drug Administration has further raised the red flag on some eggs distributed to Costco locations linked to possible salmonella exposure.

The agency reclassified the affected eggs to the highest Class 1 alert level, reporting that there’s a “reasonable probability” that consuming the eggs will “cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Health officials identified the eggs as Handsome Brook Farms Kirkland brand of Signature Organic Pasture Raised 24-Count Eggs, which were distributed to Costco locations in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

There were approximately 10,800 retail units distributed to 25 Costco stores beginning on Nov. 22.

The eggs were originally recalled just five days after distribution on Nov. 27, however, the FDA redesignated the product to a Class 1 recall on Dec. 20.

“The recall was initiated after the company determined that eggs not intended for retail distribution were instead packaged and distributed in retail packaging,” Handsome Brook Farms said in its announcement on Nov. 27. “Additional supply chain controls and retraining are being put in place to prevent recurrence.”

The cartons in question have a Universal Product Code (UPC) of 9661910680 with a use-by date of Jan 5, 2025.

The FDA noted that impacted consumers should not consume this product and can return the eggs to Costco for a full refund or dispose of it.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms of salmonella infection include severe stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches and loss of appetite.

Symptoms usually start between six hours to six days after infection and usually last four to seven days, according to the CDC.

However, some people, particularly children younger than 5 and adults 65 years and older, or people with weakened immune systems, may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization, the CDC states.

Costco did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

Passenger plane crashes in Kazakhstan with dozens aboard

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger aircraft crashed near Kazakhstan’s Aktau Airport close to the Caspian Sea on Wednesday morning, Kazakh authorities said, with up to 40 people feared dead.

The aircraft was was flying from Baku in Azerbaijan to Grozny in Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a post to its official Telegram channel. It was rerouted to Aktau in Kazakhstan due to fog in Grozny, Russian news agencies reported.

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations told ABC News that the plane was carrying 69 people — 64 passengers and five crew members. The ministry said 29 people survived the crash, with many hospitalized.

Two children were among those hospitalized, the ministry said in a post to its Telegram channel.

Kazakhstan’s deputy health minister told ABC News that some of those taken to hospital are in critical condition.

Kazakh authorities have initiated an investigation into the crash, focusing on reported bird strike, mechanical failure and the decision to reroute the flight due to adverse weather conditions, Kazakh aviation authorities told ABC News.

Among the passengers were 37 Azerbaijani citizens, six from Kazakhstan, three from Kyrgyzstan and 16 from Russia, the Transport Ministry said in a statement, citing “preliminary data.”

Azerbaijan Airlines said in a post to X that the aircraft “made an emergency landing” around 2 miles from Aktau. The aircraft was an Embraer 190 model with flight number J2-8243, it said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Tomek Rolski and Dragana Jovanovic contributed to this report.

Mega Millions jackpot surges to $1.15 billion after no Christmas Eve winner

December 25, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Mega Millions jackpot surges to .15 billion after no Christmas Eve winner

Mega Millions jackpot surges to $1.15 billion after no Christmas Eve winner — Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The Mega Millions jackpot surged to $1.15 billion on Wednesday after no ticket matched the numbers drawn on Tuesday, the lottery said.

The next drawing will take place on Friday at 11 p.m. ET, with the cash value of the jackpot estimated to be $516.1 million.

The numbers drawn on Christmas Eve were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46 and gold Mega Ball 3.

The estimated jackpot would make it the seventh-largest in the game’s history and its seventh billion-dollar prize.

It would also be the largest ever won in December, if a ticket matches all six numbers drawn.

The last time the jackpot was won was at $810 million in Texas on Sept. 10. No one has won the grand prize in the last 29 drawings, as the jackpot has ballooned.

The Mega Millions jackpot has only been won on Christmas Eve once before, according to the game. A $68 million jackpot was won in New York on Dec. 24, 2002, though it was never claimed.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to Mega Millions.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are $2 for one play.

Middle East live updates: IDF troops killed in Gaza as hospitals ‘besieged’

December 24, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON)– Rebel forces in Syria are building a transitional government after toppling the regime of President Bashar Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.

Meanwhile, the ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. The Israel Defense Forces continues its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

Negotiation team returning after ‘significant week’: Israeli PM office

The Israeli negotiation team will return to Israel from Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday after a “significant week of conducting negotiations” regarding a ceasefire and hostage deal, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said in a statement.

“The team returned for internal consultations in Israel regarding the continuation of negotiations for the return of our hostages,” the statement continued.

-ABC News’ Anna Burd

IDF ‘besieging’ 3 Gaza hospitals, health ministry says

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement Tuesday that Israeli forces are “intensifying” their attacks on three hospitals in the devastated and depopulated northern portion of the strip.

Israeli troops, the ministry in the Hamas-run territory said, are “besieging and directly targeting the Indonesian Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital and Al-Awda Hospital during the past hours and insisting on putting them out of service.”

The ministry said Israeli troops were “forcing the wounded and patients to evacuate the Indonesian Hospital,” while bombing “all departments of Kamal Adwan Hospital and its surroundings around the clock without stopping.”

“Shrapnel is scattered inside the hospital yards, causing terrifying sounds and serious damage,” the ministry said.

“We appeal to all international and UN institutions and concerned parties to urgently intervene to protect the health system in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry wrote.

On Monday, Palestinian officials said 20 people were injured when Israeli forces detonated a “robot bomb” in the vicinity of Kamal Adwan Hospital.

The IDF has not commented on the latest developments around Kamal Adwan or the other north Gaza hospitals.

-ABC News’ Nasser Atta

3 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces said Monday that three soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza.

Cpt. Ilay Gavriel Atedgi, 22, Staff Sgt. Netanel Pessach, 21, and Sgt. First Class (res.) Hillel Diener, 21, were all killed by an explosion during an operation in the Beit Hanoun area, which has been a focus of Israel’s intense recent offensive in the northern part of the strip.

Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and the border zone is now 391.

Health officials in the Hamas-run territory say more than 45,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

-ABC News’ Dana Savir and Ellie Kaufman

20 injured after bomb detonates near Gaza hospital

Twenty people were injured among the medical staff at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza Monday evening after a “robot bomb” was detonated in the hospital’s vicinity, according to medical sources.

ABC News has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for a comment.

-ABC News’ Samy Zyara

Israeli forces kill Hamas operative in Gaza City, IDF says

Israeli forces killed the head of the national security directorate of Hamas’ security mechanism during an attack on Sunday in Gaza City, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The Hamas operative, Tharwat Muhammad Ahmed Albec, was “operating in a command and control center” that was embedded in a “compound that previously served as the ‘Musa bin Nusayr’ school” in a neighborhood in Gaza City, the IDF said in a statement on Monday.

Hamas has yet to comment on the IDF’s statement.

-ABC News’ Dana Savir

‘Certain progress’ made in hostage negotiations: Netanyahu

“Certain progress” has been made in ongoing hostage and ceasefire negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a speech at the Israeli parliament on Monday.

“I can carefully say there has been a certain progress” made in the ongoing negotiations, Netanyahu said, adding that he “doesn’t know how long it’s going to take.”

“We will continue to operate in any way and without a pause until we bring them all back home from the enemy’s land,” he said.

-ABC News’ Dana Savir

Hamas reports Israeli attack on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp

Hamas on Monday said the Israel Defense Forces killed or wounded at least 50 people in an air and ground assault on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

An IDF airstrike was followed by an incursion into the camp supported by 17 heavy vehicles, among them tanks and bulldozers, Hamas said.

Israeli forces also attacked Nuseirat camp two weeks ago, killing at least 33 people according to the Gaza Government Media Office.

The IDF is yet to comment on Monday’s operation.

-ABC News’ Diaa Ostaz and Tomek Rolski

Netanyahu says Israel will act against Houthis after missile strike

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his nation would “act forcefully” against the Houthis in Yemen after a weekend missile attack on Tel Aviv injured 16 people, according to Israeli emergency authorities.

“Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arms of Iran’s evil axis, so we will act against the Houthis — the result will be the same,” Netanyahu said in a statement posted to X.

Since October 2023, the Houthis have been launching attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, as well as long-range drone and missile attacks towards Israel.

On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces said it intercepted a Houthi missile but that debris destroyed a school building in Tel Aviv.

The Houthis — which have close ties with Iran and are part of the Tehran-led “Axis of Resistance” — are demanding an end to Israel’s war in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, infiltration attack into southern Israel.

The U.S. and U.K. — supported by other allies — have launched a series of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since January. Israel has also launched significant strikes in Yemen in recent months, most recently on Thursday.

At least 7 dead after IDF strikes humanitarian area in Gaza

At least seven people were killed after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip.

The strike hit a collection of tents within what had been designated a humanitarian area, where displaced people were sheltering.

The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the strike on Sunday, saying in a statement it was “an intelligence-based strike on a Hamas terrorist.”

“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence,” the IDF said.

– ABC News’ William Gretsky

21 killed in Gaza, IDF northern offensive continues

The Gaza Ministry of Health said Saturday that 21 people were killed and 61 injured in three separate Israeli attacks over the last 24 hours in the Hamas-run territory.

A total of 45,227 people have been killed since the start of the war, health officials said.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces continued intense operations in northern Gaza, particularly around the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia.

The director of the hospital said there is shooting “around the clock” nearby, adding that on Friday the third floor and the hospital entrance were shelled.

The director said the IDF is blocking the entry of all requested medical supplies. Nine people need urgent evacuation for surgery in Gaza City and the hospital is currently treating over 70 people, he said.

-ABC News’ Samy Zyara and Victoria Beaule

Letter urging residents to report ‘brown folks’ condemned by Oregon officials

December 24, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(NEWPORT, Ore.) — Several officials in Lincoln County, Oregon have received an anonymous letter urging people to report “brown folks” they suspect are undocumented immigrants, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

“The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office recently learned about a letter being circulated throughout Lincoln County which encourages community members to track and report information regarding people of color, specifically community members that are believed to be undocumented,” the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook.

“We want to be unequivocal in our stance: this type of behavior is harmful, divisive, and inconsistent with the values we uphold as public servants and community members,” continued the post, signed by Sheriff Curtis Landers. “Targeting individuals in this manner erodes trust and undermines the sense of safety and inclusion that we strive to maintain in Lincoln County.”

The anonymous letter, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, is riddled with typos and makes various threats against undocumented immigrants.

State and local officials have condemned the letter.

“Attempts to intimidate our communities and their leaders through racist letter-writing campaigns has no place in Oregon, and we will continue to stand together in opposition to those who seek to divide us,” said Oregon State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum in a statement, adding that the state is an “open, welcoming, and safe for all individuals.”

“It is time to rise above these despicable tactics and demonstrate the true spirit of inclusivity and compassion that defines the Oregon way,” Rosenblum continued.

Toledo, Oregon Mayor Rod Cross announced at a Dec. 18 city council meeting that he had received the letter, bearing an invalid return address, a few days prior. That letter, obtained by ABC News, warns that in the latter part of January 2025, the Department of Homeland Security will begin “the largest round-up of brown illegals in our history.”

“I am livid because I don’t know if history is just not getting taught anymore or if the memories of my father and his generation have just been wiped out of existed but this is not America,” Mayor Cross said at the city council meeting. “This is not who we are.”

President-elect Donald Trump made campaign statements in which he vowed to conduct a large-scale deportation operation of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. Though the anonymous letter refers to a “round-up of brown illegals,” it does not reference Trump or his past statements.

Sheriff Landers told ABC News he also received a copy of the letter in his personal PO box. He added that although the speech in the letter may not constitute a crime, he has notified the FBI for awareness. He said the mayor of Lincoln City, as well as several city council members. also received the letter.

In his Facebook statement, Sheriff Landers also stated that “Oregon law generally prohibits the inquiry or collection of an individual’s immigration or citizenship status, or country of birth, with few specific exceptions” defined by law.

“Consistent with this, the Sheriff’s Office does not inquire about, document, or share such information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” Landers’ statement continued. “These provisions are embedded in our policy manual and are essential to ensuring that our practices respect the rights and dignity of all individuals.”

According to the Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon became the first in the country to pass a statewide sanctuary law in 1987, which in part prohibits state and local law enforcement and government offices from “[participating] directly or indirectly in immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.”

Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger killed in avalanche

December 24, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger was tragically killed in an avalanche on Monday, according to the Swiss-Ski federation.

Hediger, 26, got caught in an avalanche at the mountain resort of Arosa in eastern Switzerland, the federation said.

“We are stunned and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,” Walter Reusser, the CEO of Swiss-Ski’s sports division, said in a statement on Tuesday.

No additional details about the incident are being released at the wishes of Hediger’s family and partner, Swiss-Ski said.

The athlete was a member of Switzerland’s national snowboard cross team and spent a lot of time in Arosa, Swiss-Ski said.

Hediger competed in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing in the women’s snowboard cross and the mixed team snowboard cross.

She earned her first two World Cup podium places in the 2023-24 season. She placed second in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in January, followed by third in Gudauri, Georgia, in February.

She dreamed of winning a medal in the Ski Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, in March, Swiss-Ski said.

“For the Swiss Ski family, the tragic death of Sophie Hediger has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas holidays,” Reusser said. “We are immeasurably sad.”

ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.

Hanna Katzir, Israeli hostage survivor who spent 49 days in captivity, has died

December 24, 2024 by WDNY Radio

(JERUSALEM) — Hanna Katzir, an Israeli hostage survivor who was released last year after 49 days of captivity in Gaza, has died, officials said.

Katzir, 78, struggled with a “complex medical condition” for “many months” after she was released, Kibbutz Nir Oz said in a statement.

During Hamas’ surprise terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Katzir was kidnapped from her home and her husband, Rami, was killed in their safe room at Kibbutz Nir Oz, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters said.

The couple’s son, Elad, was kidnapped and later killed in captivity, the Hostages Families Forum said. His body has since been returned to Israel.

Hanna Katzir spent 49 days as a hostage before she was released.

“Mom was a woman, wife, and devoted mother who was all about love. Her heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since October 7th,” her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement.

There are 100 hostages remaining in Gaza, many of whom are feared dead.

“Each day in captivity endangers the lives of our loved ones,” Carmit Palty Katzir said. “A comprehensive agreement for the return of our 100 brothers and sisters must move forward.”

Hanna Katzir’s funeral will take place at Kibbutz Nir Oz on Tuesday.

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