American mother and daughter freed by Hamas return to Israel

Uri Raanan, the father of Natalie Raanan, who was taken hostage by Hamas and freed yesterday after days of attempts, announced that his daughter is fine.

Mother Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and her daughter Natalie, 17, were released by Hamas yesterday.

The Qassam Brigades statement said: “In response to Qatar’s efforts, we released two American prisoners (mother and daughter) on humanitarian grounds.”

Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubeyde said they released the captives “to demonstrate to the world that the claims of US President Joe Biden and his fascist administration are false and baseless.”

‘I DON’T KNOW WHY THEY LEFT THEM OUT’

Speaking to the Associated Press, Uri Raanan stated that he spoke with his daughter on the phone and that his daughter was in good condition.

The father, who lives in Chicago, United States, said that when he saw the news on television yesterday that a mother and daughter captured by Hamas had been freed, he expected it to be his daughter and his daughter’s mother.

THERE IS ONLY A SMALL SCRATCH

Raanan said he did not know why the mother and daughter were released and said Natalie Raanan suffered nothing more than a “small scratch” on her hand.

The 71-year-old father said he estimates that Natalie and her mother will go to their relatives in Tel Aviv and come to the United States next week.

RED CROSS: HOPE FOR THE HOSTAGES

US President Joe Biden expressed his satisfaction with the release of Natalie and Judith Raanan.

The Red Cross, which transported the hostages from Gaza to Israel, stressed that the incident provided hope to those still held.

Hamas took at least 200 people hostage in the morning attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7. It is stated that among the hostages there are 30 children and 20 people over 60 years of age. (AGENCIES)