Two American hostages have been released by Hamas held in Gaza offering a silver of hope to all those desperate families as Israel founded the densely populated territory where millions waited for promised aid deliveries on Saturday.
A Chicago area woman who is 59 year’s old and her teenage daughter who is 17 year old were re united with family inside Israel on Friday as relative celebrate back home in Illinois nearly two weeks after Hamas gunmen abducted them and dozens of others near Gaza.
Judith Tai Raanan ,59,and her daughter Natalie 17 were handed over to Israel Force at the Gaza strip border on Friday becoming first captives who’s release by Hamas has been confirmed by both sides since the Arab Israeli bloodshed erupted.Abu Ubaida a spokesperson for the armed Wing of Hamas announced their release and confirmed a shorter time later in a statement from Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Islamic group took more than 200 people’s hostage when it stormed int Israel from the Gaza strip that had occurred October 7 and killed at least 14,000 people mostly civilian who were shot mutilated or burnt to death on the first day of the raid according to Israel officials.
The US president Joe Biden said he was “overjoyed”by the release which comes day after he visited Israel to express solidarity with the wounded country and press for humiliation. Biden said he believes the attack was motivated party by Saudi Arabia plan to recognize Israel.
Israel leader said the mother and the daughter from Chicago Suburbs of Evanston, Illinois were on their way to a meeting point at a military base in the center of the country,where their family members were waiting for them. Outside Chicago Uri Raanan the teenagers father said he spoke with her daughter by phone “She sounded very very good, very happy and she looks good”. Natalie Raanan Uncle Zamir said that the family was joyful, their pair had been safely released. “But there are still many families who loved ones are still being held in hostages and we will continue our efforts for their release”,he said from his home in Illinois.
During candle lighting for the starts of Jewish Sabbath at sundown on Friday Rabbi Meir Hecht, co-director of the Chabad House in Evanston where Judith Ranaan has worshipped for more than 10 years ,said the Orthodox Jewish Congregation hope for peace.
“Our prayers have been answered for Judith Ranaan and Natalie,”he said,we will continue praying for each and every hostages.”
The pair were visiting the Kibbutz about a mile from the Gaza border as part of a trip that began in September to celebrate the Jewish holiday the younger Raanans high grandmother,a family member said.
Friends describe Judith Tai Ranaan to the New York times as an artist and skilled cook of Israel food who is devoted for her Jewish faith, which inform her painting and kept Kosher in her home.She had recently worked as a home aide for elderly people,times reported . Natalie Raanan brother Ben Ranaan told the Denver post that his sister was weighing whether to find work as a tattoo artist.
