Hamas has freed two American hostages, says Israel
Israel says Hamas has freed two American hostages who had been held in Gaza since militants rampaged through southern Israel. The hostage release late Friday (October 20) came even as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit southern Gaza, an area swelled by civilians who fled there from the north on Israeli instructions.
The two are identified as Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan. No details have been provided about their condition, but US President Joe Biden said he was "overjoyed".
Israel was also evacuating a sizable town near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil.
Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Younis, where civilians had been told to seek safety amid Israel's bombardment of areas closer to the Israeli border.
The UN secretary general is at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza trying to find a way to get badly needed aid into the enclave.
The war is on its 14th day on Friday and is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Friday that 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and more than 13,000 others wounded.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly in the initial attack on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants stormed into Israel. In addition, 203 people were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, the Israeli military has said.
Update: 2023-10-21 01:38 GMT