Noa Argamani, who was abducted by terrorists on October 7th, 2023, freed in a daring military operation, and has since become one of the more vocal activists for the hostages’ release, was chosen as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2025.
TIME Magazine has chosen the survivor of Hamas captivity, Noa Argamani, as one of its 100 most influential people of 2025.
Argamani was abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, 2023, from the Supernova Music Festival in Re’im, together with her boyfriend, Avinatan Or. The footage of Noa’s abduction, showing the young woman on the back of the terrorists’ motorcycle, with her arms lifted, crying out for help, quickly spread through international media and became one of the symbols of the massacre.
Noa was freed on June 8th, 2024, in a joint Yamam, Shin Bet, and IDF operation together with Shlomi Ziv, Almog Meir Jan, and Andrey Kozlov. The operation would later be named Operation Arnon after Arnon Zmora, a Yamam officer who fell in the operation. Avinatan Or is still being held hostage.
Following her rescue, Argamani became one of the more vocal activists fighting for the hostages’ release on the global stage, meeting with world leaders and addressing gatherings around the world.
The section about Argamani in the TIME 100 was written by former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, the husband of former Vice President Kamala Harris. In it, he wrote that the footage of her abduction is “forever seared into my soul. She was joyfully dancing with so many others at the Nova music festival when Hamas launched its brutal terrorist attack. As she was kidnapped into Gaza on a motorcycle, her harrowing expression became a symbol of the pain and trauma Jews worldwide, myself included, continue to feel.”
Emhoff adds that “My wife Kamala Harris and I stand with Noa in fighting for the release of all the hostages. We cannot give up until every one of them is home.”
He concludes: “Noa’s advocacy has illuminated Hamas’ extreme brutality, but more importantly, her bravery has embodied Jewish resilience and strength even in the worst moments. She is living proof to the world that, despite everything, ‘we will dance again.'”
