“Two American hostages, a mother and her daughter from suburban Chicago, have been released by the Hamas militant group, as confirmed by officials on Friday. The hostages have been identified as Judith and Natalie Raanan, both of whom hold dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship, according to a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office.”
The Raanans were transferred from Gaza to Israel by the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to a statement from the organization. Upon their arrival at the border between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the Israeli military and security forces received the pair, as confirmed by the spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Hamas militant group
They were being transported to a military base for a heartwarming reunion with their family members. Late on Friday night in Israel, a photograph of the Raanans was made public by Netanyahu’s office.
Zamir expressed gratitude towards President Biden and the State Department for their dedicated efforts in securing the release of the hostages. He also emphasized, “While we celebrate this moment of joy for our family, we are fully aware that there are still over 200 hostages and countless families enduring the anguish of their loved ones being held captive. Our commitment remains strong, and we will persist in our relentless efforts to ensure the safe return of each and every one of them.”
President Biden had a phone conversation with the two former hostages on Friday afternoon. He conveyed his assurance that the U.S. government will provide complete support as they go through the process of recovery and healing. Mr. Biden shared this message in a tweet, along with a photo of their call, stating, “I let them know that their government will fully support them as they recover and heal. Jill and I will continue holding close in our hearts all the families of unaccounted for Americans.”