*Shaun King responded to backlash over him saying he helped free American hostages from Gaza.
“I will provide all of the records and receipts shortly,” the controversial activist said in a statement to Urban Hollywood 411.
King did just that in this post on Instagram on Oct. 22, which he captioned: “I am currently the #1 trending topic in America because people said I made up my assistance locating and returning Natalie Raanan, a 17 year old American citizen who was being held by Hamas in Gaza.”
King attached receipts and added: “At the advice of my attorneys, I kept every text, DM, screenshot, and, according to state law, recorded all of my phone conversations. Thank God. My fear was that I would be framed by the American government. I also knew the Israeli government were master liars. Receipts came in handy nonetheless.”
In his post, King made clear that he “did not insert myself into this situation. The family of Natalie Raanan inserted me into the situation.”
We reported previously that Hamas militants attacked an Israeli music festival on Oct. 7 and amid the ensuing chaos in the region, Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and her daughter Natalie Raanan, 17, were taken hostage. As Urban Hollywood 411 reports, the pair were released Friday.
King posted a message on Facebook in which he claimed to have played a role in freeing the two women.
“Hamas has just freed the teenager Natalie Raanan and her mother. I’m grateful,” King captioned a photo of Natalie. “As I said last week, Natalie and her family have been supporters of mine and protested police violence in America alongside us.”
King told Urban Hollywood 411 in an email that he “spoke directly and repeatedly with this family. I have a job, career, and family. I would be throwing everything away to make such a thing up. I spoke to them by phone, text, and direct message. Thankfully I kept record of all of them,” he wrote.
“I am told that the Israeli government is now pressuring them to say they don’t know me. I will provide all of the records and receipts shortly. The family is still in Israel and told me they feel they are in danger,” King shared.
Meanwhile, some of the Raanans’ family say they’ve never even heard of King.
“First and foremost, we make it clear that he is lying!” they wrote in a statement to TMZ. “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.”
READ MORE: Polls Show Americans Agree with Biden on US foreign Policy on Israel | VIDEO
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