CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Two Americans, who were taken hostage by the Palestine militant group in early October, have been released “for humanitarian reasons,” Hamas announced on Friday, October 20.
The pair was identified as Judith Raanan and her 18-year-old daughter Natalie, a senior Israeli official told the Times of Israel.
What did Hamas say?
“In response to Qatari efforts, Al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons, and to prove to the American people and the world that the claims made by Biden and his fascist administration are false and baseless,” Hamas said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel.
The identities of the mother-daughter duo were also confirmed by a source close to Fox News.
Israel’s Channel 12 later added that “Israeli sources” confirmed the women’s release and their family has been informed, the Times of Israel noted.
According to the reports of CNN, the two victims are supposedly in the care of the International Red Cross. It is considered that the duo have already arrived in Egypt, the outlet reported shortly before 9 pm local time on Friday, October 20.
Why were Judith and Natalie Raanan released?
Judith and Natalie Raanan were released due to the declining health of the mother, The Times of Israel noted.
The Raanans, both of Evanston, Ill, were taken hostage when Hamas stormed Kibbutz Nahal Oz 13 days ago. Their release “hopefully the start of more to come,” a diplomatic source told CNN.
The same outlet also confirmed that as of now there were no exchanges involved in the release. “The families’ headquarters welcomes the release of hostages from Hamas captivity,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the relatives of the Hamas hostages, said in a statement to CNN.
“The continued holding of hostages is a war crime. Hundreds of families await the assistance of leaders of Arab states after Hamas’ actions shocked the entire world,” the write-up continued.
“Hamas committed war crimes. Many leaders in Arab states have tremendous influence over its leaders and must act to immediately release all the hostages and missing held in Gaza,” the write-up further stated.
Natalie’s father opened a GoFundMe for a search effort
Uri Raanan, Natalie’s father and Judith’s ex-husband, also lives in Illinois and since his daughter and former spouse went missing, he has maintained a Facebook page covered in pleas for the pair’s release.
The father also opened a GoFundMe for the effort which stopped accepting donations sometime on late Thursday, October 19, or early Friday, October 20.
The report added that the mother and daughter’s family members have also been informed. Israeli officials have not yet confirmed the alleged release.
When were Judith and Natalie Raanan abducted?
The north Chicago pair were enjoying a “really special” trip to Israel to celebrate a relative’s birthday and observe the Jewish holiday season when the Hamas war started, heir rabbi, Meir Hecht, told the outlet.
“It feels like our community has been violated,” Hecht said of the brutal abduction.
