The daddy of freed American teen hostage Natalie Raanan mentioned Friday she’s doing effectively following two weeks in captivity after she and her mom had been kidnapped in Israel by Hamas and held in Gaza.
Uri Raanan of Illinois instructed The Related Press that he spoke to his daughter Friday by phone. “She’s doing good. She’s doing superb,” mentioned Uri, who lives within the Chicago suburbs. “I’m in tears, and I really feel very, superb.”
The 71-year-old mentioned he noticed on the information earlier Friday that an American mom and daughter could be launched by Hamas, and he spent the day hoping that meant his daughter and her mom, Judith.
Figuring out Natalie could possibly rejoice her 18th birthday subsequent week at residence with household and mates feels “fantastic. The very best information,” Uri Raanan mentioned.
He mentioned he believes Natalie and Judith to be in transit to Tel Aviv to reunite with kin, and that each shall be again within the U.S. early subsequent week.
U.S. President Joe Biden was among the many many celebrating the beautiful information that the Raanans had been freed.
An Israeli military spokesman mentioned the 2 Individuals had been out of the Gaza Strip and with the Israeli navy. Hamas mentioned Friday it launched them for humanitarian causes in an settlement with the Qatari authorities.
They had been the primary hostages to be launched since Hamas militants, in response to Israel, kidnapped roughly 200 individuals throughout their Oct. 7 rampage.
“I’m overjoyed that they may quickly be reunited with their household, who has been wracked with worry,” Biden mentioned in Washington. The president spoke Friday with Judith and Natalie and “relayed that they may have the total assist of the U.S. authorities as they get well from this horrible ordeal,” the White Home mentioned.
The Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross, which transported the freed Individuals from Gaza to Israel, mentioned their launch supplied “a sliver of hope” for these nonetheless being held.
Judith and Natalie Ranaan had been on a visit from their residence within the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to rejoice the Jewish holidays, in response to members of the family. They had been in Nahal Oz, close to Gaza, on Oct. 7 for Simchat Torah, a festive Jewish vacation, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israeli cities, killing lots of of individuals and abducting dozens of others.
Their household had heard nothing from them because the assault and had been later instructed by U.S. and Israeli officers that they had been being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben has mentioned.
“The information that Judith and Natalie have been launched from the palms of Hamas is overwhelming. It brings us an incredible quantity of gratitude to the Almighty, to God, for this unimaginable miracle,” Meir Hecht, Judith Raanan’s rabbi, mentioned at a press convention outdoors his residence in Evanston on Friday afternoon.
“On the identical time we maintain our ache very deep,” mentioned Hecht, who known as for the opposite hostages to be launched as quickly as attainable. “We have to proceed besieging whoever we are able to and nonetheless we are able to, and praying for his or her launch.”
Judith got here commonly to Meir’s congregation and felt like “a part of our household,” the rabbi mentioned.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth expressed reduction at information of the Raanans’ launch whereas asking individuals to recollect different households whose kin had been kidnapped.
“They’re now secure and receiving obligatory medical remedy,” Pritzker mentioned of Natalie and Judith. “I can’t wait to welcome them again residence after demonstrating immense energy and bravado within the face of unthinkable terror.”
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the discharge of the 2 Individuals is “an excellent outcome” and expressed hope it may assist pave the best way for others to be freed, together with French-Israelis feared held in Gaza.
Qatar mentioned it will proceed its dialogue with Israel and Hamas in hopes of profitable the discharge of all hostages “with the last word intention of de-escalating the present disaster and restoring peace.”
Israeli navy spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari mentioned Israel was persevering with to work to return hostages and discover the lacking, and its objectives had not modified. “We’re persevering with the struggle in opposition to Hamas and prepared for the following stage of the struggle,” he mentioned.
The discharge comes amid rising expectations of a ground offensive that Israel says is aimed toward rooting out Hamas militants who rule Gaza.