Freed Israeli hostage says Hamas captors dreaded Trump and were rooting for Kamala Harris to win 2024 bid

WASHINGTON, DC: In a new interview with CNN, Omer Shem Tov, a 22-year-old Israeli recently freed after 505 days in Hamas captivity, shared that his captors openly discussed the 2024 US presidential election, revealing a surprising political preference.

According to Shem Tov, the militants feared a second Trump presidency and instead voiced hope for a Kamala Harris win, Fox News reported.

Freed Israeli hostage claims Hamas favored Kamala Harris, feared Donald Trump’s return to White House

“The terrorists were very scared of (Trump). They wanted Kamala to be elected,” he said during the interview. “But as soon as Donald Trump was elected, they understood he wants to bring the hostages back home. So immediately, the way they treated me changed. When Trump became president, the way they treated us changed, for me personally,” Shem Tov explained.

“They started giving me more food, started treating me better. Stopped cursing me. Stopped spitting on me,” he added.

The shift in behavior, he said, was directly tied to Hamas' belief that Trump’s administration would strike a hostage deal quickly. Shem Tov, who was kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, Nova music festival attack, was released in February 2025 alongside other hostages.

In a March visit to the White House alongside other freed hostages, Shem Tov told Trump that he believed his rescue was nothing short of divine intervention, saying he felt the president was “sent by God” to help them.

Internet reacts to freed hostage saying Hamas treated him better after Donald Trump's 2024 win 

The former Israeli hostage’s recent comments on CNN about his treatment by Hamas improving after Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential election ignited a flurry of reactions online, particularly from the POTUS' supporters who viewed the statement as a validation of his foreign policy stance.

One X user celebrated the implications, writing, “This says a lot. When America shows strength, our enemies notice and step back. That's leadership we need.”

“All we needed was a new president!” another wrote.

One person remarked, “Proof that having a strong leader is everything.”

Another added, “Thank God America voted for Trump.”

One individual wrote, “The terrorists wanted a Democrat to run the US. It's obvious. But for you leftists, let that sink in.”

One commenter shared, “The bad players are afraid of Trump!!! This is glorious!”

Another added, “R E S P E C T !”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.