Pro-Israel influencer skewered for pushing skincare brand in video on Hamas hostages

For free actual time breaking information alerts despatched straight to your inbox signal as much as our breaking information emailsSign as much as our free breaking information emailsPro-Israel influencer Montana Tucker is taking warmth on-line after selling a skincare product in a video purportedly imply to lift consciousness for Israeli hostages.The video, posted to Instagram final week, reveals Tucker interviewing Raz Ben Ami, who was taken hostage on Oct. 7 alongside her husband, Ohad, when Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 folks.Ben Ami, who was held hostage in Gaza for 54 days, is seen sitting along with her three daughters as they talk about the occasions of Oct. 7 and their efforts to make sure the protected return of Ohad, who stays in captivity. “We miss him very a lot,” Ben Ami, who’s sporting a shirt calling for Ohad’s launch, says in the video. “We’re working very laborious to get him again. We hope he’s nonetheless OK.”The video then pans to Mickael Bensadoun, CEO of the Israeli skincare brand Fré, who’s sitting subsequent to Tucker. “We are praying for the discharge of all hostages,” Bensadoun says. “This is the least we are able to do.”Bensadoun goes on to elucidate that whereas Raz was in captivity, her daughter 27-year-old Yulie, had reached out to the corporate to ask if her mom might have some Fré merchandise when she was launched. “Our head of buyer help confirmed me this message. I believe I needed to present all Fré to you,” Bensadoun says, to which Tucker responds: “There are one million skincare manufacturers, however I believe what makes a brand so particular is when there’s a private story.” Towards the top of the video, Tucker asks if she will be able to rub some cream from the brand on Ben Ami’s face, reassuring her that her arms are clear. Ben Ami responds, with amusing, “I’ve been in Gaza.” The video concludes with the group shouting, in unison, “We love Fré!”Tucker, who has greater than 3 million followers on Instagram, revealed the video on Thursday, with the caption: “Raz and Ohad have 3 lovely daughters who did/do all the things they will to convey again their dad/ remaining hostages, and handle their mother.” Montana Tucker (proper) is seen sitting with Raz Ben Ami (left) and her daughter (Montana Tucker / Instagram)“@freskincare just isn’t solely an unimaginable, clear, and Israeli skincare brand, however it’s Raz’s favourite,” she added.Since then, she has obtained intense backlash for the video, with human rights lawyer and Israel advocate Arsen Ostrovsky branding it “vile and unconscionable.”“How dare you @montanatucker come right here to Israel to revenue of [sic] the grief and bloodbath of our folks. Have you no disgrace?” he wrote on X.Meanwhile, Yaakov Katz, the previous editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, accused Tucker of “capitalizing on the backs of people that have been to hell and again.”“After you thought you’ve seen all of it, watch this video and see how some folks and the manufacturers they’re pushing apparently don’t have any downside capitalizing on the backs of people that have been to hell and again,” he wrote on X.Another social media person described the video as “self centered” and “actually unbelievable.”“I agree this show of blatant and purely industrial promotion doesn’t sit too effectively with all of your efforts to sound touched not for fame or revenue,” one other particular person wrote. “You have sadly blemished your picture with an embarrassing disguised commercial.”But others praised Tucker for the video, which was one in all many she has created to lift consciousness of the hostages nonetheless in Gaza.“She has executed a lot for our trigger in social media because the battle began, and since she did one thing for somebody in partnership with a brand, you’re leaping down her throat,” one person wrote in response to Ostrovsky’s publish. “Pick a struggle with the proper folks, this isn’t one in all them!”Montana Tucker (middle) with Raz Ben Ami, her daughters, and Fré CEO Mickael Bensadoun (Montana Tucker / Instagram)“@montanatucker Do you even know the way a lot this implies to each Jew in the world?,” one other particular person stated on Instagram. “The truth that you simply’re getting their tales on the market for ALL to listen to and see! Thank you a lot for EVERYTHING you’re doing for your group!”A consultant for Tucker informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the influencer was launched to Ben Ami at a current rally for the hostages’ launch earlier than they met up in the short-term housing the place her household has been residing following the destruction of their house on Oct. 7.“She needed her story informed, her husband’s story, informed by Montana,” the consultant stated. “She at all times goes to their homes.”The consultant added that the thought for the video got here from Fré and that Tucker was not paid to go to the home.“It was completely a mitzvah factor,” she stated. “She will at all times be there for the hostages till everybody’s house.”The Independent has contacted representatives of Montana Tucker for additional remark.Tucker shared the video as Israel Defense Forces troopers recovered the our bodies of three hostages from town of Rafah, the place Israel launched airstrikes that brought about a big blaze at a camp for displaced folks, killing no less than 45 folks, whereas a whole lot extra had been handled for extreme burns, fractures and shrapnel wounds.Millions of individuals had fled to the area amid Benjamin Netanyahu’s battle on Gaza which he has vowed to proceed regardless of calls from the worldwide group for a ceasefire.As of this week, some 125 hostages stay unaccounted for in Gaza, with Netanyahu below growing stress to barter their launch.More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Netanyahu’s battle on Gaza.

https://www.independent.co.uk/world/montana-tucker-hostages-video-b2553972.html