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Anderson Cooper 360

Two American hostages have been released by Hamas

Anderson Cooper 360

CNN

News

3.73.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 October 2023

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Two American hostages were released by Hamas and are now in the care of Israel Defense Forces. Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie Raanan, were kidnapped during the initial attack against Israel two weeks ago while visiting family. Amir Tibon met the Raanans while they were at a celebration for the kibbutz’s anniversary. He knew Judith’s mother very well, calling her a “neighbor and a friend.” He tells Anderson Cooper how he felt when he heard the Raanans had been freed. Plus, aid agencies in Gaza are warning that hospitals are nearly out of fuel as humanitarian aid is stuck in Egypt. CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward was near the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. She joins AC360 to give an update on when the aid is expected to cross the border into Gaza. For daily information on the Israel-Gaza conflict, check out CNN’s podcast ‘Tug of War: Attack on Israel’ here: https://link.chtbl.com/-lB8n-bJ  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

It is 3 a.m. here in Israel, the early hours of freedom from American mother and daughter

0:06.1

held hostage for nearly two weeks by Hamas.

0:09.1

Just a moment ago, the American Embassy in Jerusalem released this photo, photo of Judith

0:13.2

Ranan and Natalie Ranan, speaking with President Biden, appeared to be smiling.

0:18.4

In a new photo posted by the White House on social media of the President's end of the

0:22.0

conversation in the Oval Office, there is no doubt that he is broadly smiling.

0:26.7

Judith and Natalie, seen here in this IDF photo shortly after their release, were captured

0:31.8

at a caboats where they were visiting Judith's mother, Natalie's grandmother.

0:36.0

In a moment, all we have been learning about how their freedom was secured, why it happened

0:40.7

now, and what in my signal it's a pivotal moment in this crisis with Israeli troops poised

0:46.8

to move into Gaza, or so many other hostages are being held.

0:51.0

Secretary of State Blinken spoke briefly to that concern.

0:55.7

They share in the relief that their families, friends, and loved ones are feeling.

1:01.8

But there are still 10 additional Americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict.

1:08.0

We know that some of them are being held hostage by Hamas, along with an estimated 200 other

1:12.8

hostages held in Gaza.

1:16.2

They include men, women, young boys, young girls, elderly people, from many nations.

1:27.5

Every single one of them should be released.

1:32.4

To that point, the IDF today said the majority of the hostages are still alive and gave

1:36.7

details on some of their ages.

1:38.8

More than 20 are younger than the age of 18, between 10 and 20 are older than the age

1:43.8

of 60.

...

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