News summary
- Judith and Natalie Raanan were released by Hamas terrorists on Friday (20).
- They live in Illinois (USA) and were visiting relatives in Israel.
- Young Natalie turns 18 next Tuesday (24).
- Uri, the girl’s father, said his daughter said nothing about the two weeks she was detained.
Natalie Raanan (left) and her mother Judith were released as hostages by Hamas this Friday (20) Reproduction/Twitter @kann_news 10/20/23
A few hours after learning of the terrorist group Hamas’ decision to release two American citizens held hostage, Judith and Natalie Raanan, mother and daughter respectively, the latter’s father, Uri Raanan, said that they were fine, they were happy and would like to return to the house.
“I spoke to my daughter today. She’s doing great, she looks great. “She was very happy and looking forward to going home,” he said at a press conference in Bannockburn, a city in the state of Illinois (USA), where they live. According to him, his exwife had “a little scratch on her hand, but it’s nothing, she’s fine.”
A spokesman for the AlQasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, announced this Friday (20) the release of the two American hostages who were in Israel visiting relatives for “humanitarian reasons”, following Qatar’s mediation.
The group claimed it made the gesture to “show the American people and the world that the claims of (US President Joe) Biden and his fascist government are false and baseless.”
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After their release, they were medically examined and received a call from Biden. The US Embassy in Jerusalem published a photo on the social network X (formerly Twitter) showing the two women talking on the phone with the president, with smiling faces. Also on X, Biden himself posted a photo of himself in the Oval Office, talking on the phone with a big smile on his face.
Kidnapped for two weeks
Uri Raanan said his daughter said nothing about the two weeks she was detained as Hamas terrorists staged a wave of surprise attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip, kidnapping more than 200 people of various nationalities.
According to Raanan, the two women should be back in the USA next week when Natalie turns 18 on Tuesday (24). Speaking to journalists, Raanan explained that he learned of the two’s release when he began receiving images from Israeli television channels on his phone, and that shortly afterwards the Israel Defense Forces called him to say they were in contact his daughter and his daughter would meet. Wife.
In a statement, Biden celebrated the release and said he would not stop until the remaining hostages were freed. The release of the hostages came two days after Biden visited Israel to show his country’s support and affirm Israelis’ right to selfdefense. He also compared Hamas to the Islamic State terrorist group.
The exact number of hostages with American passports held by Islamists in Gaza is unknown. Thirteen Americans are currently missing and about 30 killed following the attack that killed more than 1,400 people on Israeli soil.
The terrorist group also kidnapped 250 hostages 200 were reportedly in their possession and 50 were with other Palestinian militias. The Israeli army estimated the total number at 203.
See the interior of a house in Israel, the target of massacres and Hamas terror
The first images of the interior of kibbutz residences, collective housing in Israel intended for agricultural activities and where people are treated equally, are beginning to appear in the world press. Everything is the result of the terrorist attack carried out by the Hamas group on October 7 against civilians and military personnel in Israel. At that time, 1,400 people died on Israeli soil
Overturned toys and furniture, gunshot marks on the walls, blood stains and burnedout rooms are commonplace in houses in southern Israel
These houses on the kibbutz were inhabited by entire families who were either murdered or kidnapped by Hamas terrorists.
The attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas was the deadliest in Israel’s 75year history. Most of the dead were civilians
Rescuers say residents of Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel have fallen victim to a particularly violent attack
An hour later, when they received a message to the entire kibbutz that it was dangerous to be outside, the victims ran to a safe room, thinking that perhaps one or two militants had entered the compound, where houses stand among palm trees.
As they left, the terrorists spraypainted houses with the words “People of Palestine.”
The trail of destruction marks the invasion of Hamas terrorists