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The terrorist group Hamas freed two Americans among the 200 hostages it abducted during the October 7 attacks in...
Digital Desk: The terrorist group Hamas freed two Americans among the 200 hostages it abducted during the October 7 attacks in Israel. The terrorist group indicated that it may release more hostages in the future.
The Israeli government confirmed that Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, returned to Israel late Friday night. US President Joe Biden spoke to both women by phone and expressed his "overjoyment" at the news. However, there is no information available on their physical or health status.
"Our fellow citizens went through horrific experiences these past 14 days, and I am happy that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been gripped with fear," Biden said in a statement.
Hamas said it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its "civilian" hostages, indicating that more releases could follow, the report by AFP said. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it assisted in bringing freed Americans to Israel.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross president, Mirjana Spoljaric, said their release provided a "sliver of hope" for the families of other hostages and urged all sides in the crisis to display "a minimum of humanity."
Judith and Natalie, a mother and daughter duo who are both American-Israelis, were abducted from the Nahal Oz kibbutz close to the Israel-Gaza border on October 7. They were reportedly on vacation in Israel at the time. An Israeli official met them at the Gaza border and drove them to a military base in central Israel.
"(Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens for humanitarian reasons," Hamas stated after the duo was released.
The Ranaan family, who initiated a worldwide campaign to demand their release along with the other hostages, thanked the international community for its assistance in securing the duo's release.
Meanwhile, Hamas has stated that it intends to "close the civilian (hostage) file" and has discussed how to do so with mediators. "(We are) working with all mediators to implement the movement's decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions allow," Hamas said in a statement.
Israel claims that 203 persons, including Israelis, dual nationals, and foreigners, were seized by Hamas terrorists during the bloodiest attacks in Israel's 75-year history. According to the the government, at least 1,400 individuals were killed, the majority of whom were civilians.
According to the Hamas administration, Israel has retaliated with a continuous bombing campaign against the Gaza Strip, killing at least 4,137 people, the majority of whom were civilians.
Israel has also come under pressure as a result of the hostage situation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under constant pressure to secure the release. His office stated that the government would use "any means available" to find "all those missing and return all those abducted."
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