Families of American citizens missing in Israel make emotional plea
TEL AVIV (WABC) -- U.S. citizens whose families members are still missing in Israel following this weekend's surprise attack are making an emotional plea for help.
In Tel Aviv on Tuesday, the families of Americans being held hostage by Hamas implored both the U.S. and Israeli governments to step up rescue efforts.
They said it has been three days since the attacks on Saturday and they think they should have heard something by now from the U.S. or Israeli governments.
"I want to bring forward the responsibility that the Israeli government has to bring back all the hostages," said Nahar Neta, whose mother is being held hostage. "And it is our hope, which is a little bit ridiculous to say, that the optimistic scenario here is she is held hostage in Gaza and dead on the street of the kibbutz where we grew up."
Some of the local families are from New York and Connecticut.
"I'm here with my family, my two sisters, we grew up in New York City," said Rubi Chen, whose son is being held hostage. "Please do not just think of us as that headline, we are people, we are families, who want to be back families again."
They all told disturbingly similar stories about how they have been left to do their own detective work and piece together what has happened to their loved ones.
"Hamas came in when the gunfire settled down...I think he was probably in shock," said Rachel Goldberg whose son was kidnapped.
All they know now is that they are not among those stranded or those confirmed to be dead.
"Zero communication from the Israeli government, zero communication on our side," Neta said.
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