Activist Shaun King Spars With Family Of US Hostages Over His Role In Release By Hamas

Mr King said he "spoke directly and repeatedly" with this family since October 9 and that for him to lie about helping aid the mother and daughter's rescue "would be throwing everything away".

The family of two American hostages released by Hamas terrorists has accused Black Lives Matter activist and author Shaun King of lying when he claimed he worked "frantically behind the scenes" to help secure their release. Mr King on Friday took some credit for the safe return of Judith Raanan and her teenage daughter, Natalie Raanan. In an Instagram post, he said that he was grateful Ms Natalie and her mother had been freed. He also thanked the Qatari government for helping to negotiate their release. 🚨STATEMENT from Ben Raanan, brother of Natalie Raanan, the young hostage that was freed by Hamas.Ben, a longtime supporter of mine, was the American spokesperson for the family and first reached out to me for help on October 9th.Followed by a THREAD of receipts/records. pic.twitter.com/BL4kRlewYD

"Dozens of us worked frantically behind the scenes to help make this possible," he wrote."I spoke to Natalie's family this afternoon and they are anxiously awaiting more updates," he added. 

However, now members of the Raanan family said that the activist and author fabricated his involvement and that he did nothing to help, according to TMZ. "First and foremost, we make it clear that he is lying! Our family does not and did not have anything to do with him, neither directly nor indirectly. Not to him and not to anything he claims to represent," the Raanan family told the outlet. They also went on to say that Ms Natalie has never met Mr King, and she first learned about him today amid all the speculation.