President Joe Biden confirmed Friday that a pair of American hostages have been released by Hamas nearly two weeks after a surprise attack by the militant group sparked a war with Israel.
President Biden speaks with mother, daughter who were held hostage by Hamas after their release
Update 7:52 p.m. EDT Oct. 20: The United States Embassy in Jerusalem posted a photo on X, formerly known as Twitter, of Natalie Raanan and Judith Raanan speaking with President Joe Biden on the phone after they were released by Hamas.
“(President Biden) spoke this evening with the two American citizens who had been held hostage by Hamas. We are so grateful that they are safe. We will continue to do everything we can to unite all hostages with their loved ones,” U.S. Embassy Jerusalem said.
.@POTUS spoke this evening with the two American citizens who had been held hostage by Hamas. We are so grateful that they are safe.
— U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (@usembassyjlm) October 20, 2023
We will continue to do everything we can to unite all hostages with their loved ones. pic.twitter.com/rp1YDtB8Zu
Biden confirmed on X that he spoke with both Americans who were released today.
“I let them know that their government will fully support them as they recover and heal,” Biden said.
I just spoke with the two Americans released today after being held hostage by Hamas. I let them know that their government will fully support them as they recover and heal.
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 20, 2023
Jill and I will continue holding close in our hearts all the families of unaccounted for Americans. pic.twitter.com/oXk6gfrD8M
-- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Update 6:07 p.m. EDT Oct. 20: Natalie Raanan’s father, Uri Raanan, 71, said that he spoke with his daughter since her release. He believes that she will be home soon, according to The Associated Press. Uri Raanan lives in suburban Chicago.
“She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” Uri Raanan, who is based in the Chicago suburb of Bannockburn, said Friday, according to the AP. “I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.”
Natalie Raanan and her mother, Judith Raanan, were abused by Hamas and released earlier.
Uri Raanan said that he thinks Natalie Raanan and Judith Raanan are heading to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives. Then they will be returning to the United States in time for Natalie Raanan to turn 18 years old next week, the AP said.
-- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Original story: Officials with the Israel Defense Forces said that Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, 17, were released, according to The Associated Press and ABC News. A spokesman for Hamas said the decision was made “for humanitarian reasons” amid mediations overseen by Qatar, Reuters reported.
Their conditions were not immediately known.
“Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7,” Biden said in a statement released Friday by the White House.
“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 has 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 in this moment.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that the Raanans were “safely in the hands of Israeli authorities in Israel.” He added that officials were “very anxious to be able to reunite them with their loved ones.”
Judith Raanan grew up in Israel and traveled to her native country with her daughter before Hamas launched surprise attacks on Israel on Oct. 7. The pair had not been heard from since the attacks were launched, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Judith Raanan is a member of Chabad of Evanston, and the group said that she and her daughter had “apparently been abducted from Nachal Oz, Israel.”
Friend and Rabbi Meir Hecht described Judith Rannan to NBC News as “a very spiritual woman” who loved to pray and talk about her connection to God.
“She’s an exceedingly warm, kind, giving, generous woman,” Hecht told the Sun-Times. “She was always involved in helping people and being there to show support whenever someone needed a shoulder to lean on. She’s a really kind woman.”
At least 10 Americans remain unaccounted for following the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden said Friday that officials “have been working around-the-clock to free American citizens who were taken hostage by Hamas, and we have not ceased our efforts to secure the release of those who are still being held.”
The president thanked the Qatari and Israeli governments for their work to help get hostages released.
“Jill and I have been holding close in our hearts all the families of unaccounted for Americans,” Biden said. “And, as I told those families when I spoke with them last week—we will not stop until we get their loved ones home. As president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans held hostage around the world.”
In a statement obtained by CNN, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said officials will continue working to free more hostages.
“Today’s breakthrough comes after many days of continuous communication between all the parties involved,” Majed Al-Ansari said.
“We will continue our dialogue with both the Israelis and Hamas, and we hope these efforts will lead to the release of all civilian hostages from every nationality, with the ultimate aim of de-escalating the current crisis and restoring peace.”
Hamas is believed to be holding about 200 hostages in Gaza.
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