Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie have been handed over to Israeli forces
Illinois:
Two newly freed American hostages, a Chicago-area girl, and her teenage daughter, have been reunited with household inside Israel on Friday as relations celebrated again residence in Illinois, practically two weeks after Hamas gunmen kidnapped them and dozens of others close to Gaza.
Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and her daughter Natalie, 17, have been handed over to Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip border on Friday, turning into the primary captives whose launch by Hamas has been confirmed by each side for the reason that newest spherical of Arab-Israeli bloodshed erupted.
The launch was introduced by Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the armed wing of Hamas, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, and confirmed a short while later in an announcement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israeli chief mentioned the mom and daughter, from the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, have been “on their way to a meeting point at a military base in the center of the country, where their family members are waiting for them.”
Reached by telephone in Bannockburn, Illinois, exterior Chicago, Uri Raanan, {the teenager}’s father, mentioned he spoke along with his daughter by telephone. “She sounds very, very good, very happy – and she looks good.”
Natalie Raanan’s uncle, Avraham Zamir, mentioned the household was joyful the pair had been safely launched. “But there are still many families whose loved ones are still being held hostage, and we will continue our efforts for their release,” he mentioned from his residence in Illinois.
At a candle lighting for the beginning of the Jewish sabbath at sunset on Friday, Rabbi Meir Hecht, co-director of the Chabad House in Evanston the place Judith Raanan has worshiped for greater than 10 years, mentioned the Orthodox Jewish congregation hopes for “ultimate peace.”
“Our prayers have been answered for Judith and Natalie,” he mentioned. “We will continue to pray for each and every one of the hostages.”
According to each Netanyahu and relations, the mom and daughter have been kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz throughout the shock assault on southern Israel carried out from Gaza by Iranian-backed Islamist militants of Hamas on Oct. 7.
The pair have been visiting the kibbutz, a couple of mile from the Gaza border as a part of a visit that started in September to have fun the Jewish holidays, the youthful Raanan’s highschool commencement and the eighty fifth birthday of her grandmother, members of the family mentioned.
Friends described Judith Raanan to the New York Times as an artist and expert cook dinner of Israeli meals who’s dedicated to her Jewish religion, which informs her work, and saved kosher in her residence. She had not too long ago labored as a house aide for aged individuals, the Times reported.
Natalie Raanan’s brother, Ben Raanan, instructed the Denver Post his sister was weighing whether or not to seek out work within the style business, turn out to be an inside designer or apprentice as a tattoo artist.
The mom and daughter have been pictured in a picture carried by Israeli media displaying a gaggle of uniformed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel escorting them from the border moments after their launch. The two appeared wholesome as they walked via the illuminated darkness, hand-in-hand with Israeli Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, the IDF’s chief hostage negotiator.
U.S. President Joe Biden thanked Qatar and Israel for his or her partnership in securing the Raanans’ freedom. The president mentioned on social media platform X he had spoken with the 2 by phone, and posted a photograph of them, apparently taken throughout that decision.
Hamas individually launched a video of the 2 girls being turned over to employees with the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Raanans have been amongst about 200 hostages that Hamas mentioned it took throughout the lethal rampage into communities and army bases in southern Israel, a part of the bloodiest assault on the nation for the reason that 1973 Arab-Israeli struggle.
Hamas has mentioned 50 extra captives are held by different armed teams within the coastal Palestinian enclave. It mentioned greater than 20 hostages have been killed by Israeli air strikes, however has not given any additional particulars.
Hamas mentioned the 2 girls, who Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported have been twin Israeli-American nationals, have been freed “for humanitarian reasons” in response to Qatari mediation.
Hamas has beforehand described captives with “foreign” nationalities as “guests” who can be launched when circumstances permit, with out saying if that included Israelis with twin nationality.
A supply briefed on the hostage negotiations known as the discharge of the 2 Americans “a first step,” including, “discussions are ongoing for more releases.”
American and British officers mentioned they’ve been working with Qatar to safe launch of hostages, together with their very own residents, held in Gaza. Other international locations whose residents have been taken captive embody Thailand, Argentina, Germany, France and Portugal.
Israel responded to the Oct. 7 assault, which killed 1,400 individuals, by pounding Gaza with air strikes, killing greater than 4,000 individuals, and has mentioned it would act to free the hostages whereas wiping out Hamas.
Netanyahu’s choices for placing again at Hamas are sure to be hampered by concern for the protection of the Israeli captives seized within the raid, as a nation scarred by previous hostage crises faces maybe its worst one but.
The prime minister has vowed “mighty vengeance,” however the destiny of the Israeli troopers, aged individuals, girls and kids taken into Gaza complicates how Israel delivers on that promise whereas abiding by a longstanding precept of leaving nobody behind.
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