Hamas releases mother and daughter US hostages

GAZA: Two US hostages held by Hamas – a mother and daughter – have been released, BBC reported.

Judith and Natalie Raanan were taken hostage by Hamas at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, in southern Israel, the report said.

The pair have left Gaza and is on their way to a military base in the center of Israel, the Israeli PM says.

According to BBC, Natalie’s half-brother said of his “overwhelming sense of joy”, while US President Joe Biden says he is “overjoyed” at the development.

They were among the 200 hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas during the attacks on 7 October, according to BBC.

Earlier, the UN chief António Guterres visited the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and said he expected the first shipment of aid to enter Gaza in “the next day or so”

Palestinian officials say more than 4,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing more than 1,400 people.

(Inputs from BBC)