West Wing director Aaron Sorkin, and Barry Levinson, who was behind hits including Rain Man, A Few Good Men and Good Morning, Vietnam, put their names to the letter too.
Coming together under the slogan "No Hostage Left Behind", the entertainers wrote: “We are heartened by Friday’s release of the two American hostages, Judith Ranaan and her daughter Natalie Ranaan, and by today’s release of two Israelis, Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz, whose husbands remain in captivity.
US President Joe Biden pictures with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Getty)
“But our relief is tempered by our overwhelming concern that 220 innocent people, including 30 children, remain captive by terrorists, threatened with torture and death.
“They were taken by Hamas in the savage massacre of October 7, where over 1,400 Israelis were slaughtered — women raped, families burned alive, and infants beheaded.”
Addressing Biden directly, they added: “Thank you for your unshakable moral conviction, leadership, and support for the Jewish people, who have been terrorised by Hamas since the group’s founding over 35 years ago, and for the Palestinians, who have also been terrorised, oppressed, and victimised by Hamas for the last 17 years that the group has been governing Gaza.”
The letter continued: “We all want the same thing: Freedom for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace.
“Freedom from the brutal violence spread by Hamas. And most urgently, in this moment, freedom for the hostages.
“We urge everyone to not rest until all hostages are released. No hostage can be left behind.
Hamas releases Judith (left) and Natalie Raanan, dual Israeli-American citizens who were being held captive in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7
Judith Raanan, 59, and Natalie Raanan, 17, who are dual Israeli-American citizens, were released by Hamas last Friday.
Meanwhile, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and Nurit Cooper, 80, who both lived in Kibbutz Nir OZ near the Gaza border were released on Monday.
Biden, speaking earlier in Washington, allowed for the possibility of a ceasefire if the other captives are freed, saying: "We should have those hostages released and then we can talk."
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