Families of Hamas hostages blame “cancel culture” for figures like Michelle Obama remaining silent about their plight despite previously joining the cause of captured Nigerian schoolgirls.

Families of hostages in Gaza have blamed “cancel culture” for the silence of prominent women on the issue of their release.

The ‘Return Our Girls’ campaign has been launched for 19 women who remain in captivity, in a nod to the slogan that called for the return of girls kidnapped by Boko Haram jihadists ten years ago.

Feminist icons, including former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Angelina Jolie, previously joined the cause of the captured Nigerians.

But aside from UK figures including House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt and Countdown maths whiz Rachel Riley, the celebrities who fought each other to pose with ‘Bring Back Our’ posters Girls’ in 2014 have remained silent.

Gili Roman, 39, whose sister-in-law Carmel Gat, also 39, is among the 19 women held captive, said: “I’m 100 per cent sure Michelle Obama thinks it’s wrong to take hostages.

‘Then the only question is why doesn’t he talk about it?

‘What I have learned from my visits to the United States is the level of cancel culture. “It’s basically an intimidation tactic to keep people quiet, and it works.”

Ashley Waxman Bakshi, 38, whose 19-year-old cousin Agam Berger is being held captive, also spoke of her pain that celebrities are ignoring her cause.

“It’s disappointing, frustrating and really scary to see the hypocrisy of celebrities around the world,” he said.

“They were quick to acknowledge that it is never okay to kidnap innocent people when it is done in Nigeria, but they still fail to condemn it when it is done to Israelis.”

The image of the former First Lady holding a sign helped the 2014 campaign go viral.

But his response to the Gaza hostage crisis has disappointed many Israeli families.

Yoni Levy, 52, whose daughter Naama was kidnapped on October 7, has previously spoken of her anguish, given that the 19-year-old idolizes Mrs Obama.

She told the New York Post: ‘Why did she, and all those other famous women Naama admired, and all the human rights organizations she believed in, remain silent about what happened to my Naama and all the other girls?’

Mrs Mordaunt told Parliament yesterday: “We cannot allow these poor women and girls to suffer what they must be suffering for a moment longer.”

Riley also shared the motto online to mark 150 days since the kidnappings.

Hamas announced yesterday that it would withdraw from ceasefire talks while sticking to demands that Israel withdraw from Gaza.