Former hostage, Liri Albag, was detained at JFK International Airport in New York upon arrival for prolonged questioning on Sunday, Israeli media reported.
Albag, who arrived at the airport with her family for a planned vacation, was taken in for questioning due to her status in American systems that indicated she was still being held hostage.
Albag was questioned for an hour and was released after an Israeli Consulate employee in New York helped out, according to N12. The New York-based Israeli Consulate was closed over the weekend due to it being Memorial Day weekend in the US.
The error occurred due to a delay in the US database system updates that had the information regarding her release from Hamas captivity.
'Still listed as a hostage'
"She was still listed as a hostage; they thought someone had entered using her identity," Albag's father, Eli, said to N12. "They took her phone but allowed her to make one call. She called me, and then she called her mother, Shira, who involved the IDF and many other parties."
According to N12, Consul General Ofir Akunis made sure that Albag was allowed entry into the US before he flew back to Israel.
Albag served as a lookout for the IDF on the Nahal Oz military base in the Gaza envelope and was taken hostage on October 7 along with Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, and Daniella Gilboa.
She and four of the girls were released after 477 days in Hamas captivity, and Berger was released separately, after 482 days.