Released by Hamas, two American hostages, mother and daughter reunited with family in Israel. Photo Credit: Reuters
Hamas has released two American hostages who had been held in Gaza since militants rampaged, JudithTai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, who were on holiday in Israel, were taken hostage by Hamas militants from the Nahal Oz kibbutz near the Israel-Gaza border on October 7.The hostage release came even as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit southern Gaza.
Hamas has freed two American hostages, a mother and a daughter – the first known hostage release in the war between it and Israel. The release of the hostages came from negotiations by the government of Qatar https://t.co/l4Y0dETC9hpic.twitter.com/oRyygjEdlv
Judith Tai Raanan and her teenage daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, both American citizens, were released by Hamas on Friday, October 20, 2023. The release of the Raanan duo is a positive development in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. It is hoped that this will pave the way for further releases of hostages held by Hamas.
According to Hamas, the Raanan duo were the first among more than 200 hostages to be released by Gaza rulers. Hamas has stated that it is working with Qatar and Egypt to free its “civilian” hostages, which could indicate that more releases are forthcoming.
Ben Raanan, Natalie’s half-brother, he expressed an “overwhelming sense of joy… and gratitude” upon hearing the news of their release.
He also thanked the “community around the world who have really put my sister at the forefront of their thoughts, of their prayers”.
US President Joe Biden has confirmed the release of the hostages and has assured that his government would fully support the duo in their recovery and healing process. In a statement released by the White House, President Biden expressed his joy at the release of the hostages and stated that they will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal.
“Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7,” the president said in a statement.
Pres. Biden has spoken with the two American hostages released after being taken by Hamas, and said in a separate statement he was "overjoyed" at the news of the Raanans' release. @MarykBruce reports . https://t.co/0ulunZJjZqpic.twitter.com/tFVTobvz3x
“Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who have been wracked with fear. These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy at this moment,” President Biden said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also confirmed that the two American hostages, Judith Tai Raanan and her teenage daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were safely in the hands of Israeli authorities in Israel. The mother and daughter were released by Hamas on Friday, October 20, 2023, after being held captive for 14 days.
“Over the coming hours, they will receive any support and assistance they need, and of course, we are very anxious to be able to reunite them with their loved ones. We welcome their release. We share in the relief that their families, friends, and loved ones are feeling, but there are still ten additional Americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict,” Blinken said.
“There are still 10 additional Americans that remain unaccounted for… we know that some of them are being held hostage by Hamas.”@SecBlinken speaks on release of 2 American hostages by Hamas & other U.S. citizens still missing. @livenowfoxpic.twitter.com/LeOusjEYYN
“We know that some of them are being held hostage by Hamas, along with an estimated 200 other hostages in Gaza. They include men, women, young boys, young girls, and elderly people from many nations. Every single one of them should be released. Since the early — earliest hours of this crisis, the president has made clear that he will do everything possible to secure the release of every hostage,” Blinken said.
The situation in Gaza is complex and sensitive. The Israeli military has said that all families of the hostages have been notified of their identities. The hostages are believed to be mostly civilians, with many having dual nationality. The presence of hostages in the strip has complicated Israel’s plans for a ground invasion of the narrow coastal territory that is home to 2.3 million people. Hamas has claimed that 22 Israeli hostages have been killed in airstrikes since the war began 10 days ago, and has warned it will kill hostages in response to unannounced Israeli strikes on civilian targets.
When asked by a reporter on Friday whether Israel should delay a potential ground invasion of Gaza until more hostages can get out, President Biden said “yes”.
The White House later said that Biden did not fully hear the question.
“The president was far away. He didn’t hear the full question,” White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt said.
“The question sounded like ‘Would you like to see more hostages released?’ He wasn’t commenting on anything else,” LaBolt added.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has resulted in a staggering loss of life. As of Friday, 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 others have been wounded in the retaliatory strikes by Israel.
On the other hand, more than 1,400 people in Israel have lost their lives, with most of the casualties occurring during the initial attack on October 7 when Hamas militants stormed into Israel.
The conflict has been ongoing for several days and has resulted in a humanitarian crisis. The international community has called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and to provide aid to those affected by the conflict.
