Natalie & Judith Raanan.Photo:Go Fund Me
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CNNcites a source who said that they had been released on “humanitarian grounds” because the elder Ranaan is in poor health.
NBC correspondent Martin Fletcher said in an appearance onThe 11th Hour with Stephanie RuhleThursday 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.”
Martin Fletcher.Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty
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."
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 Israelon Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and plunging the area into war.
There are reportedly over 190 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza, according toThe 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.
source: people.com
