Hamas Releases Relatives Of Former NBC Correspondent

Released hostages with Israel Defense Forces on Friday

Two American hostages, Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were released by Hamas on Friday.

Israel confirmed the release of the mother and daughter, who are from Illinois and family members of former NBC News correspondent Martin Fletcher.

President Joe Biden thanked the government of Qatar for helping secure their release, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the two were receiving "necessary medical treatment."

An artist and a recent HS grad: These are the two American hostages released by Hamas https://t.co/r2CsqWUywB via @nbcnews

— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) October 20, 2023

The Raanans, who are relatives of former NBC correspondent Martin Fletcher, had been staying at a kibbutz in southern Israel when they were taken captive on Oct. 7.

Their release comes as U.S. and European governments pressure Israel to delay its Gaza ground invasion to allow more time to win the freedom of Hamas hostages, U.S. and foreign officials said. Citizens of 41 countries were killed and went missing during the attack. Separately, Israeli authorities ordered the evacuation of Kiryat Shmona, a city close to the Lebanese border, reflecting Israel’s growing concern that a second front could open up to the north. 

Meanwhile, an outpouring of support from militant Islamist groups for Hamas’s incursion is stirring fears of a resurgence of terrorist acts in the West that, until recently, appeared to be declining.