10 years after James Foley's death, US hostage policy evolves

    MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) -- It’s been a decade since New Hampshire journalist James Foley was killed by the Islamic State militants. He was the first American hostage executed.

Since James' death, his mother, Diane Foley, has worked to prioritize the return of other Americans held captive.

According to Diane, the U.S. policy regarding negotiations with captors has improved over the years.

“I’m just filled with so much gratitude after Jim was killed. It’s like all the good people stepped up,” Diane said.

She describes her son as someone who wanted people to understand what was happening in the world. “He wanted us to be aware. Particularly in his case, the suffering of others who yearned for freedom that we often take for granted.”

The freelance journalist was murdered on Aug. 12, 2014, an event that catalyzed significant changes.

On Aug. 1, a multination deal brought four Americans home, including Russian-detained journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan.

“It’s a miraculous change, truly. More than 130 U.S. nationals have come home in the last ten years, which is a miracle. I mean, it’s been a total shift in the way we view the value of our citizens working abroad,” Diane said.

However, Diane believes many questions remain unanswered, including how to deter the use of people as political prisoners and how to collaborate effectively with Western partners.

“We’re just beginning to figure out how to bring people home, and I’m so grateful. But we have a lot ahead of us,” she said.

To those who argue that negotiating with captors will only increase the targeting of Americans, Diane noted that her son’s foundation has not seen that trend.

In a 2024 report, the James W Foley Foundation found that detentions of American nationals have dropped 42% since peaking two years ago.