Former hostage detained at JFK after authorities mistakenly believed she was still captive

Liri Albag, an IDF lookout, was abducted from Nahal Oz military base during Oct. 7 Hamas attack; she was released after 477 days in captivity

Itamar Eichner|
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Liri Albag, an Israeli soldier who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, was briefly detained by U.S. authorities upon her arrival at New York’s JFK Airport after her records mistakenly indicated she was still in captivity.
Albag, 19, was taken for questioning and held for about an hour shortly after landing. Israeli officials intervened to resolve the situation, and she was eventually allowed to enter the United States and continue her vacation.
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לירי אלבג בעצרת מחאה בכיכר החטופים
לירי אלבג בעצרת מחאה בכיכר החטופים
Liri Albag speaks at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
“There was questioning, but everything is fine,” her father, Eli Albag, told Ynetnews. “Their system still showed her as a hostage—they hadn’t updated the records. It’s just a vacation. Liri wasn’t stressed. It was unpleasant, but it passed.”
Albag served as a lookout in the Israel Defense Forces and was abducted from the Nahal Oz military base during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. She was released after 477 days in captivity as part of a hostage deal and has since joined advocacy efforts for the release of others still held in Gaza.
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לירי אלבג חוזרת לביתה במושב ירחיב
לירי אלבג חוזרת לביתה במושב ירחיב
Liri Albag returns home after being released from Hamas captivity
(Photo: Gil Nehushtan)
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Israeli officials acted quickly behind the scenes to address what they viewed as a potentially sensitive diplomatic incident and prevent further distress for Albag, according to sources familiar with the matter.
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