U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed to JNS that former Hamas hostage Liri Albag was delayed for inspection at John F. Kennedy International Airport after she informed officials she had previously been held captive in Gaza.
“The traveler applied for admission at JFK and was referred for further inspection after she indicated she was a hostage of Hamas to the CBP officer,” a CBP spokesperson told JNS in response to a media inquiry. “A CBP inspection was completed, as may be done for anyone who has been in a similar national security situation, and she was promptly admitted into the United States on a tourist visa.”
Albag, who was abducted from the Nahal Oz IDF base on Oct. 7, 2023, during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, was released earlier this year as part of a short-lived ceasefire and hostage deal. She arrived in New York on Sunday for a family vacation.
Hebrew media reported that an outdated alert in the airport’s computer systems initially flagged Albag as still being held hostage, raising concerns among U.S. officials that someone might be impersonating her. Her father, Eli Albag, told Israeli outlets: “It appeared in their system that she was still captive, they hadn’t updated their computers. They were afraid someone [else] was entering the US using her name.”
“It wasn’t pleasant—but it’s over,” he added, noting that his daughter was not distressed by the episode. “We’ve arrived at our hotel, and everything’s okay. It’s behind us,” he told Channel 12.
According to reports, several Israeli officials intervened behind the scenes to resolve the issue, ensuring the family’s entry after about an hour of delay.
Albag was among five female IDF surveillance soldiers released by Hamas in January. She had been held for nearly 16 months in captivity under harsh conditions described by multiple freed hostages.
