US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday welcomed the release of dual US-Israeli nationals Judith Raanan and Natalie Raanan from Hamas captivity.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, DC, Blinken said 10 Americans remain unaccounted for after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, and some of them are among the estimated 200 people being held hostage by Hamas.
"When I was in Israel last week, I met the families of US citizens that Hamas has taken hostage. It's impossible to adequately put into words the agony they're feeling," he said.
"What I shared with the families, as the president did as well, is that the entire United States government will work every minute of every day to secure their release, to bring their loved ones home," added Blinken.
The Secretary of State thanked Qatar for its role in the release of Judith and Natalie Raanan, but declined to provide further details.
“All I can say with regard to Qatar is in this instance, we very much appreciate their assistance. We want to focus on making sure that we’re getting those who remain hostage back home with their loved ones,” he said.
On the issue of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, Blinken said, “My expectation is that you’ll see that moving soon.”
Earlier on Friday, US President Joe Biden welcomed the release of Judith and Natalie Raanan and also thanked the governments of Israel and Qatar.
“Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7. Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear. These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy in this moment,” said Biden.
“From the earliest moments of this attack, we have been working around-the-clock to free American citizens who were taken hostage by Hamas, and we have not ceased our efforts to secure the release of those who are still being held. I thank the government of Qatar and the government of Israel for their partnership in this work,” he added.
Judith and Natalie Raanan, a mother and daughter who are dual US and Israeli nationals, reside in the Chicago area and had been visiting family in Kibbutz Nahal Oz, located near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, on the day of Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
A source told CNN that the two were released on “humanitarian grounds” because the mother is in poor health.
The release of the two is the result of negotiations between Qatar and Hamas which started after Hamas abducted around 200 people from Israel during its October 7 attack.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)
