Two U.S. hostages, a mom and a daughter from suburban Chicago, had been launched by way of the Hamas militant workforce on Friday, officers introduced. The freed hostages had been known as Judith and Natalie Raanan, who’re twin U.S.-Israeli voters, consistent with a spokesperson for the Israeli top minister’s place of work.The Raanans had been taken from Gaza by way of the World Committee of the Purple Go, the gang mentioned in a remark, and Israel’s army and safety forces met the pair on the nation’s border with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the spokesperson for High Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s place of work mentioned. They had been being taken to an army base to be reunited with members of the family. Overdue Friday night time in Israel, a photograph of the Raanans used to be launched by way of Netanyahu’s place of work.
Natalie Raanan, gray blouse, and her mom, Judith, are noticed with Israeli safety forces when they had been launched by way of Hamas on Oct. 20, 2023.
Executive of Israel
“We are extraordinarily, extraordinarily glad, glad,” Avi Zamir, Natalie’s uncle, informed CBS Information.
Zamir thanked President Biden and the State Division for his or her efforts to realize the hostages’ liberate, and mentioned, “In a second of pleasure for us as a circle of relatives we’re nonetheless remembering and acknowledging that there are nonetheless over 200 hostages and there are nonetheless households whose family members are nonetheless being held hostage and we will be able to proceed the combat and energy to deliver them again house safely, each unmarried one in all them.”President Biden spoke by way of telephone with the 2 former hostages Friday afternoon.
“I allow them to know that their executive will totally toughen them as they get better and heal,” Mr. Biden mentioned in a tweet, sharing a photograph in their name. “Jill and I can proceed protecting shut in our hearts the entire households of unaccounted for American citizens.”
I simply spoke with the 2 American citizens launched as of late after being held hostage by way of Hamas. I allow them to know that their executive will totally toughen them as they get better and heal.
Jill and I can proceed protecting shut in our hearts the entire households of unaccounted for American citizens. percent.twitter.com/oXk6gfrD8M— President Biden (@POTUS) October 20, 2023
Previous within the day, the president spoke with a few of their members of the family, the White Area mentioned. “Our fellow voters have persevered a horrible ordeal those previous 14 days, and I’m extremely joyful that they are going to quickly be reunited with their circle of relatives, who has been wracked with concern,” Mr. Biden mentioned in a remark. As he boarded Air Power One Friday night time at Joint Base Andrews, Mr. Biden replied “sure” when requested by way of a reporter whether or not he sought after Israel to prolong a floor invasion of Gaza till extra hostages had been freed.
What number of U.S. hostages does Hamas have?In Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned 10 further American citizens stay unaccounted for after Hamas performed a brutal terror assault in southern Israel on Oct. 7, igniting a battle.”We all know that a few of them are being held hostage by way of Hamas together with an estimated 200 different hostages held in Gaza,” Blinken informed journalists. “They come with males, girls, younger boys, younger women, aged folks, from many countries. Each unmarried one in all them must be launched.”Why did Hamas liberate Judith and Natalie Raanan?A message posted to a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel mentioned the discharge used to be made for “humanitarian causes.”Requested a few Hamas declare that the entire civilian hostages may well be launched if Israel’s airstrikes prevent, Blinken mentioned the hostages must be launched unconditionally.”I might no longer take the rest that Hamas says at face price,” Blinken mentioned. “I am not positive any person on this room would take at face price or document one thing that ISIS had mentioned. Identical applies to Hamas. Our place is obvious: Each hostage must be launched and must be launched now.”Consistent with CBS Information Chicago, the Raanans had been visiting circle of relatives in Israel, close to the Gaza border, in a group referred to as Nahal Oz., a kibbutz that used to be attacked by way of Hamas. Natalie Raanan simply graduated from Deerfield Top College in north suburban Chicago.Her uncle, Avi Zamir, informed CBS Information Chicago she had texted the circle of relatives in a while after the bombing started on Oct. 7, announcing, “We are all tremendous, sure certainly. Mommy’s room that she used to be drowsing in were given bombed, however we are actually moving to some other visitor area the place there’s a refuge.”
Judith and Natalie Raanan
CBS
Their liberate comes just about two weeks after the battle started. Israel mentioned its ongoing airstrikes hit extra Hamas objectives within the Gaza Strip on Friday, as it all started evacuating a the city close to its northern border with Lebanon.
Friday’s airstrikes stopped within the early afternoon, catching some folks within the Palestinian territory off guard and prompting some to wonder whether there used to be a cease-fire, consistent with CBS Information reporting from inside of Gaza.CBS Information will air a one-hour particular, “Israel-Hamas Battle: The International on Edge,” on Friday, Oct. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS and on CBS Information Streaming. Obtain the CBS Information app in your cell phone or hooked up TV to observe.
Israel & Hamas At Battle
Extra
Extra
Alex Sundby
Alex Sundby is a senior editor for CBSNews.com.
