OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
12:34 PM – Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Abbey Onn, an American citizen, spoke to the press about her family in Israel, explaining that she is “heartbroken” after discovering that numerous family members of hers have been abducted by Hamas terrorists.
During an appearance on Fox & Friends First on Tuesday, Onn announced that she had just learned her family members were abducted and taken hostage by Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group who attacked Israel this past weekend.
She and her other family members were first notified through messages from relatives in the southern region of Israel. Onn continued, saying that she has five family members who have been living in Israel for a number of years who are based in Nir Oz.
She said that she was first informed of the tragic news via communications from other family members based in southern Israel.
The names of her family members are Ofer Kalderon, 50, Sahar Kalderon, 16, Noya Dan, 13, Erez Kalderon, 12, and Carmela Dan, 80.
Onn also mentioned that her family has been living in the Nir Oz region for generations and that one of her relatives’ fathers built the kibbutz “literally from the ground up.”
“They are family oriented, they love the land, they’re deeply, deeply connected to Nir Oz and to this area and to peace,” she announced to CBS News. “Carmela was the mother and grandmother not only to the people in these pictures, but to a much larger community. They loved the simple things, they loved celebrating things, they loved where they lived.”
On Saturday, that particular area was one of the towns invaded by rocket fire, land incursions, and more, in a sequence of tragic attacks that have killed hundreds of the people.
“We last heard from them on WhatsApp in the middle of the day on Saturday,” Onn said. “We got messages throughout the morning that Hamas was in the kibbutz, that there was gunfire, and that they were in their homes, that they had overturned everything in their house and that they were afraid for their lives.”
“It was on Sunday that we saw on Instagram, on social media, the video of Erez in the hands of Hamas, which made us understand that they had been taken captive and that they’re being held hostage in Gaza,” she added.
Onn also expressed that the kibbutz has now been “completely destroyed.”
She explained that one of her abducted family members is only 12-years-old, which is the same age as her own child. Onn later mentioned that she saw video footage of the 12-year-old being taken away by a Hamas terrorist, saying that the situation is a “parent’s worst nightmare” and that she is extremely “heartbroken.”
“I feel heartbroken,” Onn told a Fox News host. “I have a child the same age in the other room. It is any parent’s worst nightmare. It is inconceivable that this is happening on this day, at this time in Israel.”
“As an American that is here in Israel… I feel proud to be an American and Israeli. I want people to understand this isn’t political. These are humans. These are people’s grandparents and children, and husbands and wives.”
Onn also stated that she had phoned her family members just moments before Hamas terrorists attacked the area and invaded their apartment.
“We woke up Saturday to sirens and began communicating with family members in the south and very quickly had learned that Hamas had entered the country on foot, and in many other ways, and that there were thousands of terrorists,” she said, explaining she later was informed of news reports that the building where her family was staying had been burned and destroyed.
“We understood terrorists were in the house. They could hear gunfire and we lost contact with them,” she added. “It was a day later that we saw a video of our 12-year-old cousin in the hands of Hamas.”
The American woman maintained that she was trying her best to “stay optimistic” but also mentioned that she was aware of Hamas’ threats regarding execution.
“We’re doing everything we can to work with the United States government and the State Department,” Onn said. “I have amazing friends and family who are making sure we are following the protocol, but I am listening to the news and hear what is being said about the release of hostages. I am trying my best to stay optimistic and believe that there will be some kind of diplomatic solution to this.”
“This is not the first time this country has been up against this kind of challenge,” she continued. “And they have an army and a government that knows how to solve this. And they just need to do that. These are civilians who are being terrorized and we want them brought home.”
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