2023-10-20 22:55:07
A relief for one family, an immense hope for dozens of others. Palestinian Hamas in Gaza claimed this Friday evening to have released an American woman and her daughter kidnapped during its attack on Israeli territory on October 7 and detained since then in Gaza. This is the first hostage release confirmed by both parties.
American Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natali Raanan, were released by Hamas this Friday evening. Raanan family/AP
Hamas kidnapped 203 hostages, including foreigners from more than twenty countries, according to the Israeli army, which estimated Friday that “the majority” of them were “alive”. Hamas military wing spokesman Abou Obeida said the release of the hostages would come “in due time.”
How did this liberation take place?
The two women, originally from Chicago, were kidnapped on October 7 while visiting relatives at the kibbutz (collectivist agricultural village) Nahal Oz. A military spokesperson for the Islamist movement said in a statement that the two hostages had been released “for humanitarian reasons”. The mother is said to be in poor health. The rabbi of the two women’s community spoke of “kind and generous souls”. “Judith attended synagogue every week and attended every Shabbat. A first photo of them was published on X in the evening.
The Israeli government confirmed that they had arrived in Israel. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the two women, Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Shoshana Raanan, “were released from the hands of the terrorist organization Hamas” handed over to the Gaza border and ” head to a meeting point, in a military base in the center of the country, where their family members are waiting for them.”
The Israeli army has not confirmed any passage of humanitarian aid in exchange for these releases. A diplomatic source told CNN that no exchange had been made for their release.
Who participated in this operation?
The decision follows “mediation by Qatar”, a country known to be close to Hamas, said the military spokesperson for the Islamist movement. In Doha, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari confirmed that “two American civilian hostages were released by Hamas and handed over to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip.”
Then, the International Committee of the Red Cross made its contribution. The ICRC announced, through its presidency, that it had contributed to this operation “by transporting the hostages from Gaza to Israel”. “We are extremely relieved that they can be reunited with their families after two weeks of agony,” the ICRC said in a statement.
“The ICRC continues to call for the immediate release of all hostages. We are ready to visit the remaining hostages and facilitate any future release,” Mirjana Spoljaric Egger said in a statement. The organization also declared itself “ready to visit the remaining hostages and facilitate any future release following an agreement reached by the parties”
Indeed, in addition to intermediary countries like Qatar, NGOs are also contacted by countries like France, the United Kingdom or the United States, to negotiate the release of hostages.
Biden’s joy, Israel’s caution
Joe Biden said on Friday he was “overjoyed” after the release of these two American women who had been taken hostage on October 7 by Hamas during the Palestinian Islamist group’s bloody assault on Israel. “Our compatriots have experienced a terrible ordeal over the last fourteen days and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their families,” he said in a statement, thanking Qatar and Israel for their “ partnership,” and promising that the United States “would not stop until it brings home” its other nationals still hostage.
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken called on Friday for the release of the 10 American hostages still held by Hamas, welcoming the fact that two arrived free in Israel. The hostages “must be released immediately and unconditionally,” declared the American Secretary of State during a press conference.
A French woman was taken “with certainty” by Hamas to Gaza and six other French people are presumed hostages, “without certainty”, Emmanuel Macron declared Friday evening to a few journalists, saying he was “confident” in the channels used “through of Qatar” to obtain their release. “Young Mia Shem is the only one whose hostage status is confirmed. For the other six there is a presumption of hostage-taking but without certainty,” said the president. “We are confident: the channels we have are the right ones and are useful,” he added, emphasizing the “very important role” played by Qatar in the release of two American hostages.
“Today’s progress comes after several days of ongoing communication between all parties involved. We will continue our dialogue with the Israelis and Hamas, and we hope that these efforts will lead to the release of all civilian hostages of all nationalities, with the ultimate goal of defusing the current crisis and restoring peace. spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Hamas’ military spokesperson, the release of the two hostages also aims “to prove to the American people and the entire world that the allegations made by (Joe) Biden and his fascist administration (about Hamas) are baseless.” The Palestinian Islamist movement affirmed that it “is working with all mediators involved to implement the movement’s decision to close the civilian (hostage) file when security circumstances permit.”
“Hamas is proclaiming to the world that it released the hostages for humanitarian reasons, but we are talking about a terrorist organization which is currently holding babies, children and the elderly,” replied Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army.
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