Did Hamas Capture American Mom and Daughter?
A mother and daughter who visited their Israeli family last week from Chicago are among the United States citizens missing following the Hamas attack on Israel. Relatives are now convinced that the militant group kidnapped the duo.
Natalie Raanan and Judith Tai Raanan were in a small village called Nahal OZ, situated near the Gaza Strip, at the time Hamas launched their attack and invaded Israel’s territory, kidnapping over 150 people, including soldiers, children, and women, according to a CNN report.
Natalie’s Father and brother said they haven’t heard from her or her mom since Saturday. They fear Hamas could have abducted the duo after watching a horrifying video of the terror group kidnapping children and women in the villages it attacked.
While speaking to CNN, Natalie’s brother said her mother and sister landed in Israel on Monday last week, and they had been communicating every day until Saturday, when the war began. On the other hand, Judith’s husband, Uri Raanan, wrote a heartbreaking post on Facebook, informing his friends of the ordeal his family encountered in Israel.
Raanan said he remains in touch with the United States Embassy in Israel to be updated on the status of the missing Americans following Saturday’s attack.
US President Confirms the Number of Americans Killed by Hamas
Yesterday, US President Joe Biden announced that Hamas had killed 11 Americans. However, he did not reveal the exact number of United States Citizens who are missing in Israel. Of the 11 killed, nine have been identified by their families, according to the State Department.
The agency’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, released a statement on Monday evening saying the United States Embassy in Israel is working hard to determine the actual number of missing Americans and has collaborated with its regional partners to figure out their whereabouts.
US Government Set to Evacuate Americans in Israel
Miller also said the US government is planning to evacuate trapped Americans. The US Embassy has already informed Americans in Israel to prepare for evacuations, which may happen at any time.
Meanwhile, President Biden held an emergency meeting yesterday with several top government officials, in which he asked them to continue monitoring the situation in Israel and offer help where possible.
