Americans among 100 hostages in Israel: Chicago high school graduate Natalie Raanan, 18, and her mother were snatched while visiting family
An 18-year-old Chicago student and her mother are among the missing Americans feared to be taken hostage by Hamas as the attack on Israel continues.
Natalie Ranaan and her mother, Judith, were visiting family for the holidays when the assault began on Saturday. Since then, family members have not heard from either woman.
Her father, Uri, says they were captured by Hamas fighters. The two were in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz less than two miles from Gaza, when they disappeared on Saturday.
They are among a growing number of Americans who remain unknown.
Hersh Polin-Goldberg (23) is another American now being held captive by Hamas. His mother says his arm was ‘blown off’ from the elbow down.
Natalie Ranaan and her mother, Judith, were visiting family for the holidays when the assault began on Saturday. Since then, family members have not heard from either woman
Raanan and her mother were visiting family in Israel for the high holiday. Their family
Judith Raanan was also taken hostage with her daughter. Their family in Illinois has not heard from them since Saturday
‘Unfortunately, what we heard from Hersh (from eyewitnesses) is that his arm was blown off his elbow. He toured his own arm,” Rachel Golberg told CNN.
This morning, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House confirmed 11 Americans were killed.
Their names have not yet been made public, and the number is expected to rise.
‘We know that 11 Americans were killed. Unfortunately, we are preparing for the very distinct possibility that there will be more death for Americans here.
‘We also have a number of wounded and another number that have not been traced. We just don’t know where they are.
“We must accept the grim possibility that countless Americans could be among those held hostage,” the National Security Council’s Coordinator for Strategic Communications said Tuesday morning during an appearance on Good Morning America.
Missing: Sisters Norelle and Roya Manzuri, who previously attended school in Los Angeles, were at the peace festival on Saturday
Sagui Dekel-Chen, a 35-year-old American citizen who is among the missing
Itay Chen, an American citizen fighting in the Israeli Defense Forces, who is also missing
Hersh Golberg-Polin (23) texted his mother and father ‘I love you’. I’m sorry’ at 8:11 a.m. Saturday – as Palestinian militants declared war on Israel, took dozens hostage and killed hundreds during the Jewish high holiday
The State Department has yet to confirm the number of Americans missing in the conflict.
Today, the families of some of those imprisoned held a press conference in Tel Aviv to raise awareness.
Among their missing relatives is Itay Chen, a former New Yorker who serves in the Israel Defense League.
‘You would think that after 70 hours, if he is not in the state of Israel, he might be somewhere else. He is by definition a prisoner of war.
“We ask that the US government ask Hamas to treat him as a prisoner of war should be treated,” said his father, Rubi.
Hersh Golberg-Polin (23) is also missing. He moved to Israel with his family in 2008 after first attending elementary school in Los Angeles.
Sisters Norelle and Roya Manzuri, who attended Temple Israel of Hollywood school, are missing along with Amit Cohen.
Murdered: Missouri native Debbie and Shlomi Matias were killed in front of their son on Saturday
The families of missing Americans in Israel gathered today at a press conference in Tel Aviv to share their stories
Sagui Deke-Chen (35) is also missing. His father, Jonathan, spoke at the press conference today along with the families of other American citizens who were taken hostage.
Adrienne Neta (66) is also missing. Her son, Nahar, is desperately trying to find her.
He criticized the Israeli government today for not providing any information about what is being done to find the missing.
The Biden administration says it will do “everything it can” to bring the hostages home, but it is unclear whether that will extend to negotiations with Hamas.
‘We will do everything possible to get them home.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead of where we are now,” Kirby said
Israel’s response to Saturday’s attack continued today with dozens of airstrikes. Hamas, a designated terrorist group, continued to fire rockets.
Today, his militants ordered residents in the town of Ashkelon to evacuate.
Israeli soldiers remove the body of civilian, who was killed days earlier in an attack by Palestinian militants on this kibbutz near the border with Gaza, on October 10, 2023 in Kfar Gaza, Israel