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Two Americans kidnapped on October 7 were released on Friday by Hamas after mediation by Qatar, in what appears to be a first “ray of hope” for the more than 200 hostages in Linkin the middle of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic movement. The hostages identified by the Israeli government as Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan arrived safely in Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced late on Friday. In turn, Hamas published a video in which the two women are seen being freed and treated by personnel from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

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This organization classified the release as a “ray of hope” for the families of people still detained in Gaza.

This photograph courtesy of the Israeli government shows Natalie Shoshana Raanan and Judith Tai Raanan after they were released by Hamas. (AFP). (-/)

This photo from the US embassy in Jerusalem shows Natalie Shoshana Raanan (left) and Judith Tai Raanan talking on the phone with US President Joe Biden after being released by Hamas. (AFP). (-/)

The Palestinian enclave, where 2.4 million inhabitants live in poverty, has been awaiting the arrival of humanitarian aid for a few days, which is currently accumulating in the Rafaon the border with Egypt.

Hamas announces release of two hostages

The Hamas movement announced, through a video broadcast on its social networks, the release of two hostages of North American nationality who were detained in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/sA9iVbcsHt

– RT in Spanish (@ActualidadRT) October 21, 2023

The American president, Joe Biden announced on Wednesday an agreement with the Arab country to allow a first convoy of up to 20 trucks loaded with medicine, food and water.

LOOK: What are the tunnels built by Hamas that make up the Gaza “metro” like? | INFOGRAPHIC

He leader believes that the first trucks will arrive “in the next 24 to 48 hours” to the impoverished 362 km2 enclave, which is in a “more than catastrophic” situationaccording to the United Nations.

A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows aid trucks waiting on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on October 20, 2023. (AFP).

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stressed from Egypt that time is essential. “These trucks are not just trucks, they are lifesavers, they make a difference in the life or death of so many people in Gaza,” he said.

At least 4,137 people died in the Palestinian Strip by Israeli bombings launched daily in response to Hamas’ deadly offensive, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The incursion by Islamic militiamen left more than 1,400 people dead, most of them civilians, according to the army. In response, Israel promised to “annihilate” the Islamic group and has tens of thousands of soldiers facing the enclave with a view to a possible ground invasion.

According to Bidenthe attack of Hamas sought to make the process of rapprochement unfeasible Israel with Saudi Arabia.

“One of the reasons they acted the way they did… (was) because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden said. about contacts in which the Saudis were open to recognizing the Jewish State.

“The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel… unite the Middle East,” he said. Biden at a fundraising meeting.

A mother comforts her son injured in an attack in the south of the Gaza Strip, on October 20, 2023. (Photo by MAHMUD JAMONES / AFP). (MAHMUD HAMS/)

“Horrible experience”

The freed Americans were captured on kibbutz Nahal Ozand Hamas announced in a statement that it had released them “for humanitarian reasons, after mediation from Qatar”.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Gulf country, which houses the political office of the Hamashighlighted that The release came “after several days of ongoing communication between all parties involved.”

“We hope that these efforts will lead to the release of all civilian hostages of all nationalities,” Majid Al Ansari added.

Damaged houses in Gaza. (AFP).

This is the first hostage release confirmed by both parties. Hamas assured that it is working “with all mediators involved to implement the movement’s decision to close the case of [los rehenes] civilians, if appropriate security conditions permit.”

The Israeli army declared a few hours earlier that Most of the hostages were still alive and more than 20 were minors.

“Our compatriots have lived a terrible experience these last 14 days and I am very happy that they will soon be reunited with their families”, reacted Biden.

People march during a protest in support of the Palestinian people in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus, on October 20, 2023. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP). (LOUAI BESHARA/)

Gaza waiting for help

Biden this Friday asked Congress for a package worth more than 105 billion dollars for Ukraineon the border with Mexico and Israel, but the proposal could be blocked as the Chamber of Deputies remains paralyzed.

Nonetheless, The Israeli army continues bombing Gaza and claimed to have achieved more than 100 goals Hamas during the night.

On a visit to the tens of thousands of soldiers stationed near the enclave, Netanyahu urged them to “fight like lions.”

The Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant presented the “three-phase” plan for the ongoing military operation to the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations and Defense on Friday.

The objective, he explained, is “the neutralization of terrorists”, the implementation of “a new security reality for Israel’s citizens” and the “end of Israel’s responsibilities” in Gaza.

After the Hamas attack, Israel imposed a total siege on the enclave and ordered the evacuation of the north of the territory in case of a possible invasion.

O World Health Organization estimated on Thursday that the total number of people displaced within the Rangealready blocked by Israel“it could have reached a million”.

Protesters protest against Israel’s military operations in Gaza in front of the White House on October 20, 2023. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP). (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/)

The inhabitants survive in the midst of the ruins and await the arrival of humanitarian aid.

But, according to Michael Ryan, head of emergency situations at the WHO, the agreement reached by Biden is just “a drop of water in the ocean of needs”.

“2,000 trucks would be needed” to alleviate the situation in the Strip Palestinian, he insisted.

Around 175 trucks wait in front of the intersection Rafathe only entry point into the Strip that is not controlled by Israel.

An Egyptian security source assured AFP that The concrete blocks installed in the passage after Israeli bombing began have now been removed.

The Egyptians are also rushing to repair the road that leads to the territory.

The conflict has raised fears that the violence will spread to other countries in the Middle East.

O war It provoked passions across the region, with protests in several countries, especially in Egypt, where thousands of people flooded the iconic Tahrir Square in support of Gaza.

The tension is not just high West Bank busy, where At least 81 people have died since the start of the warbut on the border with Lebanonwhere there are daily exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, assured that his government sent “very direct” messages to Hezbollah to avoid an escalation of the conflict.

Source: Elcomercio