Former hostage Mia Schem in Washington to fight for release of remaining hostages in Gaza

The 21-year-old former hostage, French-Israeli citizen Mia Schem, attended U.S. President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Schem was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Nova Music Festival during the Oct. 7 massacres and was held hostage in Gaza for more than 50 days before being released in a negotiated deal.

At least 17 relatives of Israeli hostages still being held captive in Gaza also attended the event as guests of other Congress members.

The White House speaker released a statement in which he described the need to continue the fight for the hostages to be returned.

“Mia spent more than 50 days in captivity after being kidnapped on Oct. 7,” Johnson said in the statement.

“I’m proud to stand with Mia and join her in demanding the release [of] all the hostages still held captive by Hamas. We must continue to fight to get them home.”

Schem was released in the November hostage deal. She reported being held hostage in Gaza by an entire family, including a mother and her children, who terrorized her.

“I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one,” she said when describing her time in captivity. “[Innocent civilians] don’t exist,” she added.  

Schem said she was honored to be invited to Washington and grateful to Speaker Johnson for giving her the opportunity to show her “gratitude for all the United States Government has done to assist the people of Israel in their time of need.”

“It was not easy for me to make this journey and fly,” Schem said about her trip to Washington. “I feel like I was leaving many people behind. But this is an important moment.”

Schem held meetings with both Republican and Democrat lawmakers to urge them to act on behalf of the hostages. She also recounted her ordeal in Gaza while being held hostage.

“It was not an easy day, heavy, difficult, but this was part of my mission,” she said regarding the need to talk about her captivity.

“I pushed Mia aside for a moment because I am fulfilling a promise that I made to the people who I feel I left behind there, who asked me when I was released to make noise, to fight for them so they could get out.”

Schem's mother said that their family has received a lot of support from Washington.

“There is a lot of support here… and you can see that they feel and care. We met here with members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans,” she said.

Yesterday I met Mia Schem, who was held hostage by Hamas for 55 days. Now she and her family are in the U.S. to advocate for those Hamas still has captive. Her bravery in sharing her story drives home the urgency to #BringThemAllHome. pic.twitter.com/c80wR3rxZp

— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) March 8, 2024

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) invited the mother and brother of Omer Neutra, an American-born IDF soldier to the White House.

“When President Biden delivers his State of the Union on Thursday, I hope he will look at the faces of the Neutras and other family members of hostages and reaffirm America’s commitment to bring their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, grandparents, and grandchildren home safely,” Lawler said ahead of the president's speech.

Mia Schem spent 54 days in a Hamas hellhole, during which she also underwent surgery for a gunshot wound inflicted during the October 7 attack. She received no painkillers and had to replace her own bandages. I cannot imagine the pain she endured, but I’m so glad she is now safe. pic.twitter.com/sGeLl0hHZ3

— Congressman Mike Lawler (@RepMikeLawler) March 10, 2024

Neutra’s father attended the event as a guest of newly-elected Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY).