The “worst two weeks” of Uri Raanan’s life just turned into the “best day” he’s ever had.
His 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, and his ex-wife, Judith, have both been freed from their Hamas captors and his girl will be heading home to America soon.
“I feel wonderful!” Uri Raanan told the Herald Friday afternoon when reached at his home in Illinois. “I’m in tears. I just got off the phone with the president and the governor … and I talked to my daughter.”
The 72-year-old father said his daughter is “OK” and “didn’t say much” but will be home within a week.
The mother and daughter were in Israel celebrating a grandmother’s 85th birthday when they were taken hostage Oct. 7 in the Hamas terror attack. Multiple reports state the two were released Friday — the first hostages to gain freedom.
Uri Raanan said President Biden called him to break the news to him that his ex-wife and daughter were safe. He said Biden was gracious and as equally hopeful as the dad that this could be a break in the terror over an estimated 200 hostages in the hands of Hamas.
“I’ve been waiting for this for two weeks,” Uri Raanan said. “I’m finally going to sleep good tonight. I really appreciate the president’s effort.”
He said it was “the worst two weeks of my life and today is the best day I ever had.”
Uri Raanan was reached by the Herald on his cellphone at his home in Illinois. He said his home state Gov. JB Pritzker had also shared the news of the release.
Another relative, who asked not to be named, told the Herald she is “beyond relieved,” adding she too is praying this is a break in the hostage stalemate.
“Oh my God,” she said when the Herald broke the news of the release of Judith and Natalie. “I’m elated. There’s hope there’s an end to this.”
The Jerusalem Post is reporting the 59-year-old mother and daughter were released on “humanitarian grounds” because the mother is in poor health. The paper added the Red Cross has also confirmed their release.
The Post added the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum cautioned that the Raanan’s are just two of the more than 200 being held by Hamas and “the continued holding of hostages is a war crime.”
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
Pritzker said in a statement that he is “incredibly relieved” that Judith and Natalie have been released. The pair are now receiving medical attention, the Chicago Tribune reports.
“I cannot wait to welcome them back home after demonstrating immense strength and bravery in the face of unthinkable terror,” Pritzker said in the statement. “We must continue to advocate and pray for the safe return of those still held by Hamas.”
Biden thanked Qatar and Israel for assisting in the release. He did not elaborate.
The mother and daughter had been visiting relatives at Nahal Oz in southern Israel when Hamas operatives entered the kibbutz during a surprise attack by the region, according to the Tribune.
Reuters reports the mother and daughter were pictured in an image carried by Israeli media showing them walking with a group of uniformed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel escorting them from the border moments after their release.
