One of MSNBC’s long-term Middle East and Israel correspondents broke down while explaining that among the hundreds of hostages taken by Hamas are two members of his wife’s family.
Fletcher revealed that kidnapped Illinois residents Judith Raanan and her daughter, Natalie, 17, were in the country celebrating a relative’s birthday when the barbaric attack began on October 7.
“They were last seen with their hands tied as they were being dragged away by the Hamas terrorists. So it’s personal, it’s real, and no one is really confident that it’s possible to get them back alive. Of course, everyone hopes,” Fletcher told Stephanie Ruhle on Thursday.
Through tears, Fletcher said, “Hamas is using the hostages for psychological warfare.” He described the conflict as something “very personal.”
“No one is really confident that it is possible to get them back alive,” he added somberly.
Martin Fletcher appeared on MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle and described how personal the current conflict in Israel is now that two members of his wife’s family have been taken by Hamas
Natalie Ranaan was visiting family with her mother Judith over the High Holidays when the abuse started on Saturday. Family members have not heard from either woman since
Judith Raanan was also taken hostage together with her daughter. Their family in Illinois has not heard from them since Saturday
Through tears, Fletcher said, “Hamas is using the hostages for psychological warfare.” He described the conflict as something ‘very personal’
“Israel says hostages are their first priority, but in fact it probably means they are priority number two. The first priority is to enter Gaza, as Prime Minister Netanyahu said, to kill the Hamas leadership and destroy Hamas,” Fletcher continued.
Fletcher previously spoke about the fact that, due to Israel’s small size, the current outbreak of violence following the Hamas attack affects everyone.
This week, a Hamas spokesman said the terror organization had taken more than 200 hostages during the conflict.
Fletcher has worked for NBC in some capacity since 1977, starting as a camera operator. He started working from Tel Aviv in 1982 and became bureau chief in 1996.
During his career, he has won five Emmy awards, two of which were for his reporting on Palestinian uprisings. In 2010 he published a book about his experiences reporting from Israel, Walking Israel: A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation.
That was the follow-up to his critically acclaimed memoir, Breaking News: A Amazing and Memorable Account of Reporting from Some of the Most Dangerous Places in the World.
Raanan and her mother were visiting family in Israel over the High Holidays. Their relatives
Natalie Raanan is a typical 17-year-old: She loves art, makeup, fashion and DoorDash — “she hates eating at home,” her brother, Ben Raanan, told The Associated Press this week.
She graduated from high school in the Chicago suburbs this year and has a birthday coming up soon, according to her brother, who is 34 and lives in Denver.
Before traveling to Israel to celebrate her grandmother’s 85th birthday and the Jewish holidays with her mother, Judith Raanan, the teen was torn between studying interior or fashion design and interning at a tattoo parlor.
The pair sent updates as the trip progressed and enjoyed “this special mother and daughter time together,” said their rabbi, Meir Hecht.
But the family has not heard from mother or daughter since Hamas launched an unprecedented surprise attack.
Natalie is “just a very loving, kind person,” said her older brother, Ben Raanan. Their middle brother, Adam, is nonverbal and much older than her, but Natalie makes it a priority to maintain a strong bond with him, he explained.
The family has been in contact with both U.S. and Israeli government officials, who confirmed that Natalie and Judith are still alive and being held hostage by Hamas, Ben Raanan said.
“This whole situation is surreal,” he said. ‘We are a very peaceful family. We do not at all advocate violence against anyone in this world.’
Judith Raanan was very active in her faith community, Chabad of Evanston, said her friend and rabbi’s wife, Yehudis Hecht.
Judith came to Shabbat almost every week, helped prepare Kiddush lunch and, just before leaving for Israel, dropped off a pink prayer book for the Hechts’ 7-year-old daughter, who loves the color, Yehudis Hecht said.
Several dozen community members gathered to pray for the safe return of the Raanans in the days after the Hamas attack.
‘Judith, we are thinking of you. Of your resilience, your hope, your love, your generosity, your faith and your strength. We know you are a strong woman and we pray that we will see you safe very soon with your sweet Natalie,” Yehudis Hecht said at the event.