The father of freed American hostage Natalie Raanan says she’s doing nicely following her two weeks in captivity after she and her mom had been kidnapped in Israel by Hamas.
Uri Raanan of Evanston, Illinois, advised reporters he had spoken to his 17-year-old daughter Natalie on the telephone.
“She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” he stated.
“I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.”
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The 71-year-old stated he noticed on the information that an American mom and daughter could be launched by Hamas, and he spent all Friday hoping that meant his daughter Natalie and his ex-wife, Judith.
Knowing Natalie might be able to rejoice her 18th birthday subsequent week at dwelling with household and associates feels “wonderful… the best news”, he stated.
“I’m going to hug her it will be the best day of my life.”
He added that he believes Natalie and Judith, 59, are making their method to Tel Aviv to reunite with family members, and that each will probably be again within the US early subsequent week.
US President Joe Biden additionally celebrated the information that the Raanans had been freed.
“I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear,” Mr Biden stated in Washington.
The president additionally spoke with Judith and Natalie and “relayed that they will have the full support of the US government as they recover from this terrible ordeal”, the White House stated.
An Israeli military spokesman stated the 2 Americans had been out of the Gaza Strip and with the Israeli army.
Hamas stated they launched them for humanitarian causes in an settlement with the Qatari authorities.
They had been the primary hostages to be launched since Hamas militants kidnapped round 200 individuals throughout their rampage on 7 October.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross, which transported the Raanans from Gaza to Israel, stated their launch supplied “a sliver of hope” for these nonetheless being held.
Judith and Natalie had left their dwelling within the Chicago suburb of Evanston to journey to Israel to rejoice the Jewish holidays, in keeping with relations.
On 7 October they had been in Nahal Oz, close to Gaza, for the vacation Simchat Torah, when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israeli cities, killing and abducting a whole bunch of individuals.
Their household had heard nothing from them for the reason that assault and had been later advised by US and Israeli officers that they had been being held in Gaza, Natalie’s brother Ben Raanan advised the Denver Post earlier this week.
Natalie loves artwork, make-up, style, and DoorDash – “she hates eating at home”, in keeping with Ben, who is predicated in Denver, Colorado.
She graduated from highschool this yr and was deciding between going to varsity to review inside or style design and taking an apprenticeship with a tattoo store.
Qatar stated it will proceed its dialogue with Israel and Hamas in hopes of successful the discharge of all hostages “with the ultimate aim of de-escalating the current crisis and restoring peace”.
The launch comes amid rising expectations of a floor offensive that Israel says is geared toward rooting out Hamas militants who rule Gaza.
In an announcement issued late on Friday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Two of our abductees are at home. We are not giving up on the effort to return all abducted and missing people.”
“At the same time, we’ll continue to fight until victory,” he added.
Source: information.sky.com”