Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his country “will not relent” in efforts to bring home the 200 people who were abducted by Hamas during their incursion into Israeli territory. In a post on Twitter, Netanyahu said that “Two of our kidnapped are home. We will not relent in our effort to return all of the kidnapped and the missing.” American citizens Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were released by Hamas militants on Friday. The Israeli prime minister stated that the government, the IDF, and the entire security apparatus will continue to do all they can to locate and bring home all those missing and kidnapped.
President Joe Biden suggested that the October 7 attack by Hamas was aimed at halting normalization ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel. He stated that “One of the reasons why they acted like they did, why Hamas moved..”
The father of U.S. hostage Natalie Raanan shared his joy and anticipation at the release of his daughter and ex-wife. He expressed his excitement to hug and kiss his daughter, calling it the “best day of my life.” The 17-year-old and her mother were among the 200 people abducted by Hamas during their incursion into Israeli territory.
Thousands of people in Sydney, Australia, participated in a pro-Palestinian march, demanding an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The rally received last-minute approval amid concerns over anti-Jewish slogans chanted at a previous protest. The march was described as peaceful, with no reported arrests.
The Israel Defense Forces continued to strike Hamas targets in Gaza overnight, hitting over 100 targets including Hamas terrorists, underground tunnels, ammunition storage sites, and command centers. The IDF stated that it is preparing for the next stage of the war.
The UN chief, António Guterres, stood at the Rafah crossing with a “broken heart,” emphasizing the urgent need for aid to reach Gaza. He called for the quick movement of aid trucks from Egypt into Gaza, stating that they are a lifeline for the people in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, not controlled by Israel, may open temporarily for foreigners to depart Gaza, according to the US embassy in Israel. The embassy warned that the situation could be potentially chaotic and disorderly on both sides of the crossing.
British Foreign Minister James Cleverly emphasized the importance of sustained humanitarian access to Gaza, stating that the aid crossing into Gaza cannot be a one-off. He pledged that the UK will continue to push for humanitarian access to Gaza.
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, expressed skepticism about the impact of the expected delivery of truckloads of aid, stating that it will not change the catastrophic medical conditions in Gaza. The aid convoy, including vital supplies such as food, water, and medicines, crossed from the Egyptian side of the border to the Gaza side. The World Health Organization called for the protection of humanitarian teams in Gaza and sustained access to provide aid.