A Mother and Daughter Kidnapped by Hamas Have Been Released: Reports

CNN cites a source who said that the women had been released on “humanitarian grounds” because the mother is in poor health

Two American women — a mother and a daughter — held hostage by the terrorist organization Hamas have been released, Israeli officials announced on Friday and multiple outlets including ABC News reported.

The women — identified as 59-year-old Yehudit Raanan (who also goes by Judith) and 17-year-old Nathalie Raanan by ABC News and the Chicago Sun-Times — were placed in the custody of the Red Cross and are now safely in Israel.

CNN cites a source who said that they had been released on “humanitarian grounds” because the elder Ranaan is in poor health.

The outlet also reported that Hamas has confirmed the release in a statement, saying, “In response to Qatari efforts, Al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons, and to prove to the American people and the world that the claims made by Biden and his fascist administration are false and baseless.” 

In a statement, President Joe Biden confirmed the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas, saying: "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."

Related: Nightmare Phone Call Reveals Israeli Family of 10 Kidnapped by Hamas: ‘Survival, That’s Where We Are’ (Exclusive)

NBC correspondent Martin Fletcher said in an appearance on The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle Thursday that the two women — who he did not name — were members of his wife's family.

“We talk about six degrees of separation. So Israel’s a tiny country with only one or two degrees of separation," Fletcher said. "So I just found out today that two of my wife’s family are among the hostages."

He continued: “So we know that what we’ve found out about Hamas, that they were told to kill the difficult ones and to use the rest as human shields. So this is very personal."

"They’re from Evanston, Illinois. They’re Americans. They were visiting their grandmother for her 85th birthday. And they were last seen with their hands tied, being dragged away by the Hamas terrorists," he said.

Fletcher added: "So it’s personal, it’s real, and nobody is really confident that it’s possible to get them back alive. Of course, everybody’s hoping.”

While Fletcher did not name the women during his appearance, the two released today are from Evanston, Illinois.

Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and plunging the area into war.

There are reportedly over 190 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza, according to The New York Times, including U.S. citizens.

In the wake of the attack, Israel announced a “complete siege” of Gaza, carrying out widespread airstrikes across the Gaza Strip that have left at least 3,478 people dead.

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