Who is Judith Raanan? American mother-daughter duo released by Hamas on ‘humanitarian grounds’

Judith and Natalie Raanan, a mother-daughter duo, are possibly the American hostages released by Hamas today.

Who is Judith Raanan?

Natalie and Judith Raanan, residents of a suburban area outside Chicago, were visiting Judith’s mother at Nahal Oz, a kibbutz situated approximately a mile from Gaza in southern Israel.

Early on the morning of October 7, a day marked by an unprecedented attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Natalie reached out to her father. She was in the midst of celebrating her grandmother’s 85th birthday with Judith when they suddenly heard gunshots and explosions emanating from the vicinity. In response to the alarming situation, she sent a text to her father, conveying her intention to secure herself inside the house and remain as inconspicuous as possible. Regrettably, that message marked the last communication received from either Natalie or Judith.

A spokesperson for the military branch of Hamas announced on Friday that they have released an American mother and her daughter, who were previously held hostage in Gaza. While the identities of these hostages were not disclosed, Hamas stated that their release was due to “humanitarian reasons,” and it was facilitated by “Qatari efforts.” However, the spokesperson did not specify the exact role Qatar played in securing their release.

In an official statement, Hamas’s military wing, known as Al-Qassam, emphasized that the release was also intended to “counter the allegations made by [President Joe] Biden and his administration, which they described as baseless and false.” This move aims to demonstrate to the American people and the international community that the allegations against Hamas lack a factual basis.