Jewish organizations and figures slammed the Washington Post on Friday for an X post, and accompanying article, on the parents of hostage Omer Neutra.
In a social media post sharing an article on Neutra’s parents, the Washington Post wrote “Omer Neutra has been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. When his parents speak publicly, they don’t talk about Israel’s assault on Gaza that has killed over 38,000 Palestinians according to local officials. Experts have warned of looming famine.”
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The Washington Post later deleted the post, sharing “A previous post referencing the below story was unacceptable and did not meet our editorial standards, and The Post has deleted it. The reporter of the story was not involved in crafting the tweet. We have taken the appropriate action regarding this incident. https://wapo.st/3zZ6Lwz”
A previous post referencing the below story was unacceptable and did not meet our editorial standards, and The Post has deleted it. The reporter of the story was not involved in crafting the tweet. We have taken the appropriate action regarding this incident.…
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 19, 2024
The site posted about the article again, this time writing “Omer Neutra, an American hostage in the Israel-Hamas war, has been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. His parents have mounted a relentless effort to get him released, speaking to anyone who might be able to support their cause.”
Parents of New York born hostage Omer Neutra fear threat of Iranian attack will draw focus away from hostages (13/4/2024) (credit: families hillary clinton, families white house, Orna Daniel Neutra DC rally, RONEN AND ORNA NEUTRA, WHITE HOUSE/POLLY IRUNGU)
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They added, “We’ve deleted a previous tweet for this story that mischaracterized the efforts of Neutra’s parents.”
Omer Neutra, an American hostage in the Israel-Hamas war, has been missing since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. His parents have mounted a relentless effort to get him released, speaking to anyone who might be able to support their cause. https://t.co/QC1y8OmogZ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 19, 2024
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, sharing a screenshot of the post, wrote “Are you kidding me, @washingtonpost? You may have deleted the post, but the thoughtless characterization of Omer Neutra’s parents – who have spent the last 287 days not knowing the fate of their son after he was kidnapped by terrorists on Oct 7 – remains in your article.
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“In what world did anyone find it acceptable to publish in the first place?
“And to add insult to injury, the article cites “local officials,” aka the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas – the terror organization that launched the barbaric 10/7 massacre that led to the ongoing war.”
Are you kidding me, @washingtonpost? You may have deleted the post, but the thoughtless characterization of Omer Neutra’s parents – who have spent the last 287 days not knowing the fate of their son after he was kidnapped by terrorists on Oct 7 – remains in your article.In what… pic.twitter.com/hHY4FrHrVI
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) July 19, 2024
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The American Jewish Committee also commented on the X post, stating “The parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra have one goal: TRYING TO FREE THEIR SON from Hamas captivity. That’s all they need to say. How could this tweet have been posted? Shame on @WashingtonPost for calling the Neutra’s morality into question.”
The parents of Israeli-American hostage Omer Neutra have one goal: TRYING TO FREE THEIR SON from Hamas captivity.That’s all they need to say.How could this tweet have been posted? Shame on @WashingtonPost for calling the Neutra’s morality into question. pic.twitter.com/ogx95SfV0C
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 19, 2024
Israel’s embassy to the United States also took issue with the post, sharing on X “Even after updating their offensively misleading tweet, @washingtonpost still insisted on saying that 22-year-old American hostage, Omer Neutra, has been “MISSING” since October 7th. This isn’t a game of hide and seek. Omer was KIDNAPPED to GAZA by HAMAS TERRORISTS and has been held captive in unimaginable conditions for over 9 months.”
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Even after updating their offensively misleading tweet, @washingtonpost still insisted on saying that 22-year-old American hostage, Omer Neutra, has been “MISSING” since October 7th. This isn’t a game of hide and seek.Omer was KIDNAPPED to GAZA by HAMAS TERRORISTS and has… pic.twitter.com/I3D4WoOUmN
— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) July 19, 2024
About the Washington Post article
While the social media post claimed that Neutra is “missing,” the article did acknowledge that he was taken hostage but did not mention that it was Hamas terrorists who abducted him.
The article explicitly mentioned Neutra’s parents, Orna and Ronen, “The couple declined to discuss their own political affiliations, saying it’s irrelevant.”
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The author also charged that both Orna and Ronen “don’t talk about the ferocity of Israel’s counterattack, which has killed more than 38,000 Palestinians and left nearly 90,000 injured” when they speak publicly. The author attributed this figure to the Gaza health ministry, failing to mention its affiliation with Hamas.
What’s happening in Gaza is “horrible,” Orna told the Washington Post, while asserting that Hamas could end it by releasing the hostages. Ronen shared Orna’s belief, telling the Post Hamas is “not only holding hostage our son, they’re also holding hostage the people of Gaza.”
Omer Neutra
Neutra, 22, is an American-Israeli who deferred his college admission to Binghamton University to join the IDF.
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Neutra was working as a tank commander on October 7, and his family had not heard from him since the day before the attack.
Born in New York only a month after September 11, Orna told Republican National Conference attendees how, during her pregnancy, she was “just trying to get him out of harm’s way. And it’s just insane that 23 years later, he was caught in this vile terrorist attack.”
Here’s an easy way to find yourself on the naughty list … a man in Seattle is in police custody after stealing a patrol car from a Washington State Patrol lieutenant … and only TMZ has video of the suspect shoving the cop to the ground and taking off in her car.
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We obtained footage showing a man casually crossing a busy Interstate-5 in Seattle when a WSP patrol car shows up … the guy stops in his tracks, paces around, then goes up to the driver side door and yanks the cop out of the car. He pushes her to the freeway pavement, then gets behind the wheel and speeds off.
That’s where our wild video ends, but the story doesn’t end there … because an intense police pursuit ensued … and it ended with WSP officers pinning the car and taking the guy into custody.
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Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson tells TMZ … the female lieutenant from the video was not injured and she will not be reprimanded for the incident.
This all started just before noon on Christmas Day … and we’re told the guy is now getting grilled by detectives. Sounds like he’s having a not-so-merry Christmas.
By Jake Goldstein-Street (Washington State Standard)
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Dec. 25, 2025 4:55 p.m.
A road is covered by floodwaters after heavy rains led to historic flooding in the region Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Burlington, Wash.
Lindsey Wasson / AP
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared a public health emergency Wednesday over this month’s flooding in Washington state.
The action from Kennedy, the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is focused on helping meet the needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. As part of that, his agency is providing access to HHS emPOWER, which gives data on the number of Medicare enrollees reliant on medical equipment dependent on electricity and other health care services that could make them especially vulnerable to a disaster.
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The announcement could be a good sign for the state’s chances of getting a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump to potentially open up tens of millions of dollars to deal with the flooding’s aftermath.
Gov. Bob Ferguson plans to ask for such a declaration in the coming weeks.
The flooding from heavy rain and overflowing rivers forced thousands of evacuations, breached multiple levees and damaged numerous highways. It still didn’t quite reach the levels some forecasts predicted. One person has been reported dead.
Kennedy’s order follows an emergency declaration from Trump that unlocked federal resources to respond to the storm.
John Knox, of the department’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, said in a statement that, “HHS stands ready to assist state and local response efforts in the state of Washington due to the potential health care impacts from severe storms.”
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Health and Human Services has also waived penalties for violating federal health privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, for hospitals.
“With today’s declaration and waiver, HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm,” Knox said. “ASPR’s highly trained personnel are prepared to support state and local actions to save lives and protect the delivery of health care services.”
The federal Disaster Distress Helpline is also available for crisis counseling. The multilingual hotline, open 24 hours a day, can be reached via call or text at 1-800-985-5990.
The declaration is retroactive to Dec. 9.
A windstorm forecast to arrive in western Washington on Wednesday could exacerbate problems, as saturated soil from the recent rain could make trees and powerline poles especially susceptible to falling over. But the wind is now not expected to be as intense as predicted earlier this week.
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Meanwhile, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit with other states against Kennedy on Tuesday for his threats against gender-affirming care providers.
Brown called Kennedy’s move “as cruel and unnecessary as it is illegal, but consistent with an administration that puts politics above health.” It’s Washington’s 49th lawsuit against the federal government since Trump retook office in January.
Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501(c)(3) public charity.
This republished story is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit opb.org/partnerships.
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Federal immigration agents shot at a moving vehicle on Wednesday morning during an enforcement and removal action in Glen Burnie, Maryland, striking one person and injuring another, officials said.
A spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Police Department said neither person had life-threatening injuries, and both were taken to the hospital.
Anne Arundel police responded to a report of a shooting involving federal agents at about 10:50 a.m. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were the only officials involved in the shooting, police said.
Preliminarily, police said the agents approached a white van, but the vehicle attempted to run them over. The agents fired at the van, which accelerated until coming to a stop in a wooded area, police said.
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When asked for comment, Department of Homeland Security officials said both civilians involved in the altercation with ICE are in the U.S. illegally. They did not indicate whether either of the men had been arrested.
“Continued efforts to encourage illegal aliens and violent agitators to actively resist ICE will only lead to more violent incidents,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
Anne Arundel police said they will investigate the shooting, while the FBI investigates the alleged assault on the agents and ICE conducts an internal investigation.
