Nearly two weeks after carrying out a horrific attack in Israel and kidnapping about 200 people, Hamas on Friday freed two American hostages, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Raanan, who is 17 years old.
According to IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, the US citizens were turned over at the Gaza border and are presently under the supervision of the IDF. According to the office of Israel’s prime minister, they are currently traveling to an Israeli military base where they will meet up with family members.
The Chicago-born Raanans were visiting family in Nahal Oz, a farming settlement in southern Israel, on October 7 when they were kidnapped, according to their family.
According to Israeli police, Hamas militants killed at over 1,400 people during the attack, including troops and civilians. It was the deadliest militant attack in Israel’s seventy-five-year history and exposed a shocking intelligence gaffe by the nation’s security forces.
As a result, Israel has imposed a siege on Gaza and launched a flurry of airstrikes into the Palestinian territory, worsening the humanitarian catastrophe there. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 4,100 individuals have died as a result of Israeli bombings in Gaza.
According to a person familiar with the talks for the hostages’ release, the captives who were freed on Friday were given to the Red Cross. The Red Cross has been contacted by CNN.
The mother’s bad health, according to the same source, is one of the “humanitarian grounds” for their release. Negotiations between Qatar and Hamas led to the release.
Al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) in response to efforts made by Qatar for humanitarian reasons and to show the American people and the rest of the world that the claims made by Biden and his fascist administration are untrue and without foundation.
The two American hostages have been freed, and Qatar has said that it will “continue dialogue with both Israel and Hamas in the hope of releasing all civilian hostages from every nationality,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar. Majid Al-Ansari.
Natalie’s father and Judith’s ex-husband Uri Raanan expressed his extreme relief after learning of their release on Friday.
Outside his house outside Chicago, Raanan told reporters, “I haven’t slept in two weeks.” I’ll get a nice night’s sleep tonight.
The 24th of the following week is Natalie’s birthday, and we’ll be celebrating it here at my house, he said. The finest day of my life is about to begin as I give her a hug and kiss.
And on Friday, Yehudis Hecht, the wife of Rabbi Meir Hecht, who is Judith’s rabbi, lighted two lights to welcome Shabbat and “thank God for miracles & pray for ongoing miracles for all of Israel” at their Evanston home.
It was surreal. We adore Judith, therefore it goes without saying that our hearts were crushed and turned inside out. We are incredibly appreciative and hope that they recover quickly from everything they’ve been through.
The two US citizens will “soon be reunited with their family,” US President Joe Biden stated, adding that he is “overjoyed” by the development. However, he urged for the two people’s privacy. Reiterating that his government has been “working around the clock” to liberate American hostages held by Hamas, Biden said that effort.
All the families of Americans who are missing have been in his and Jill’s thoughts, he said. And we won’t stop until we bring their loved ones home, as I told those families when I met with them last week. The safety of Americans held prisoner abroad is my top priority as president.
The two American hostages’ release is “hopefully the start of more to come,” a diplomatic source familiar with the plans told CNN. The source said that their publication did not include any exchanges.
The announcement comes after world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Biden, traveled to Israel in recent days amid mounting pressure to obtain the release of the prisoners.
Several foreign persons, including individuals from the US, Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand, were kidnapped by Hamas.
There is still little known regarding the condition, whereabouts, and identities of each hostage. Families who recognize some of them from online recordings have recognized them, leading to frantic requests for their return.
Hamas said in a statement on Friday that it is coordinating the release of foreign nationals with mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and other “friendly countries”
This resolve “remains resolute as we endeavor to implement our decision to release foreign nationals under temporary custody, when appropriate security circumstances permit,” the statement stated.
The two Americans’ liberation has been praised by representatives of the captives.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum released a statement to CNN saying, “The families’ headquarters welcomes the freedom of hostages from Hamas captivity.”
“We urge the international community and world leaders to use all of their influence to work toward the release of all hostages and missing persons.”