Hamas-Israel war, two hostages freed: who are the others?

The news of two hostages freed it arrived on social media and was then confirmed by Israeli newspapers. The official announcement with confirmations from the military and images from Hamas al-Aqsa TV. The two people freed by Hamas are Judith Raanan, 59, and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie Raanan. The two Americans were kidnapped, like 200 other people, fifteen days ago in the October 7 attack on the Nahal Oz kibbutz, just over a kilometer and a half from the Gaza border.

Their story

The two women, who live in Chicago, they were in Israel to celebrate their grandmother’s 85th birthday and Jewish holidays. Right during the party they heard shots and explosions at the door of the house. «I lock myself in the house and try to stay quiet», is Natalie’s last message. The family had received no further news.

The two freed hostages were handed over to the Red Cross and arrived at an Israeli military base, passing through Egypt. Hamas accompanied the liberation with a message of thanks to Qatar and an attack on the USA. Hamas would have proposed the return of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire which Israel would not have accepted according to reports BBC. The release would however be a gesture of good will while waiting for the opening of the Rafah crossing for the passage of humanitarian aid expected today.

The other hostages

In total there were 203 hostages, before the release of the two women. The others they are all still alive according to information received from the Israeli army which however adds: they are in the hands of different groups. This leads to greater difficulties in possible negotiations.

Among the known data on the hostages are these: thirty are under sixteen years old, twenty would be over sixty. They are of 23 different nationalities. According to what has been gleaned from the videos of the attacks, there are many factions in the field in addition to Hamas: Salaheddin Brigades of the Popular Resistance Committees, al Quds Brigades (Jihad), al Aqsa Brigades, Democratic Front, Mujahideen Brigades. There are possible transfers of hostages between groups and even people taken from individual civilians.

Some observers had hypothesized that the first releases might have been of children and wounded. To show a form of humanity as opposed to a possible attack from Israeli land. This offensive has not arrived for now, but there have been Israeli incursions that could, according to the Corriere della Sera, having brought infiltrators and data on the positions of the hostages, but also of the leaders of Hamas, already hit in recent days. There are various international mediation routes: that of Egypt linked to the Rafah crossing and the passage of aid, that which passes through Qatar, Turkey, Iran and Russia.