OAN’s Sophia Flores
1:49 PM – Sunday, October 22, 2023
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari has announced that the estimated number of hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas and other terrorist organizations is up from initial reports.
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On Sunday, Hagari stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has notified the families of 212 hostages that their loved ones are being detained against their choice in Gaza. This number is higher than initial reports which stated that 203 people that were being held captive.
That number does not include the two Americans who were released by the terrorist group Hamas last week.
On Friday, through the messenger app Telegram, the terrorist organization announced that two American hostages, mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, were being released on “humanitarian grounds.”
The two women are now in Israel and are expected to return back home to the United States this week.
There are still 10 Americans who remain unaccounted for after the October 7th attack.
President Joe Biden has made the it known that rescuing the American hostages is one of his top priorities.
“(U.S. officials) have been working around-the-clock to free American citizens who were taken hostage by Hamas, and we have not ceased our efforts to secure the release of those who are still being held,” he said.
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By: OAN
