CNN 5 Things

Fear for hostages in Gaza, Epstein ‘birthday book’, VA special election result & more

Sep 10, 2025
Families of Israeli hostages are anxious as military actions complicate release negotiations. President Trump comments on a letter from Jeffrey Epstein's infamous birthday book, sparking intrigue. Political shifts are reflected in the Northern Virginia special election results. In health news, COVID-19 is no longer a leading cause of death in the U.S. Meanwhile, a tense manhunt unfolds in Queens following a shocking double murder.
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INSIGHT

Hostage Families Fear Strike Jeopardizes Talks

  • Families fear Israel's strike in Qatar could endanger hostage negotiations and provoke brutal revenge by Hamas.
  • The strike complicated mediation and angered some US advisers and Qatar's leadership, raising diplomatic stakes.
ANECDOTE

Families Describe Fear And Horrified Reactions

  • One mother said the strike could be her son's death sentence and a cousin said he was horrified by the strike.
  • The Israeli coordinator defended the operation while families pleaded that releases require negotiation.
INSIGHT

Trump Denies Writing Epstein Letter

  • President Trump called the Epstein 'birthday book' letter a "dead issue" and denied writing it.
  • The White House accused House Democrats of concocting a hoax while debates continue over releasing Epstein files.
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