Two hostages were released
Time with agencies
The Israeli government announced Friday evening that the two American hostages that Hamas had announced would be released earlier in the day had arrived in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the two women, Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were “freed from the hands of the terrorist organization Hamas” and were “on their way to a meeting point – you, in one.” “Military base in the center of the country, where their family members are waiting for them.”
Judith Raanan (right) and her daughter under ICRC supervision, October 20, 2023, image from the Israeli authorities. — © IMAGO/GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL / IMAGO/UPI Photo
The two women were kidnapped on October 7 during a visit to Kibbutz Nahal Oz. This is the first hostage release confirmed by both parties. According to the White House, Joe Biden is “overjoyed” after this hostage release.
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Qatar and the ICRC
The Islamist movement’s military spokesman said in a statement that the two hostages were released “for humanitarian reasons and after Qatar’s mediation.” In Doha, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari confirmed that “two American civilian hostages were released by Hamas and handed over to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip.”
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“Today’s progress is the result of several days of ongoing communication between everyone involved. “We will continue our dialogue with the Israelis and Hamas and hope that these efforts will lead to the release of all civilian hostages of all nationalities, with the aim of defusing the current crisis and restoring peace,” he said. In a press release, the ICRC said it had contributed to the release of the two hostages.
Joe Biden “at the height of joy”
Our compatriots have endured a terrible ordeal over the last fortnight and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their families.
Joe Biden said in a statement.