Hamas releases two American hostages, a mother and daughter, as Israel continues Gaza bombardment

The bereaved mother of an Israeli festival-goer gunned down by Hamas militants earlier this month is urging Americans to "wake up" about the terrorists' support and told Fox News Digital she will "shout … until they start listening."

"I turned New York into my home. I made a lot of Americans my friends. Now, I worry for them," Hannie Ricardo told Fox News Digital amid anti-Israeli demonstrations across the city and other parts of the U.S.

Ricardo, a former lecturer at New York's Yeshiva University pursuing a master's degree at Hunter College, said she was slated to move into a new apartment last Sunday. Her youngest daughter, Oriya, had plans to visit.

"But instead of that, I buried my kid on Sunday," the 58-year-old said.

Fox News' Christina Coulter contributed to this report.

Former Michigan Rep. Justin Amash, a Libertarian, said Friday that several of his relatives were killed in a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza that was damaged by an Israeli airstrike amid the war between Israel forces and Hamas terrorists.

Amash is a Palestinian-American who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021. The former congressman left the GOP in 2019 before later joining the Libertarian Party.

"With great sadness, I have now confirmed that several of my relatives (including Viola and Yara pictured here) were killed at Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza, where they had been sheltering, when part of the complex was destroyed as the result of an Israeli airstrike," Amash wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Give rest, O Lord, to their souls, and may their memories be eternal."

"The Palestinian Christian community has endured so much. Our family is hurting badly. May God watch over all Christians in Gaza—and all Israelis and Palestinians who are suffering, whatever their religion or creed," he continued.

The explosion struck St. Porphyrius Thursday evening and knocked down a wall of the church. At least 500 displaced Muslims and Christians had taken shelter in the church, where the Hamas-run government's health ministry said at least 16 were killed.

The Israeli military said a strike on a nearby command center damaged part of the church, and that the incident is under investigation. The military said the church was not the target of the strike.

More than 5,600 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on October 7, leading to retaliatory action from Israeli forces. Thousands more have been wounded, and many others have been taken hostage by Hamas and raped, tortured and murdered.

Reuters contributed to this report.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is far from the Golden State this weekend, as he travels from the Mideast to the Far East on a high-stakes overseas trip that could fuel future presidential speculation.

The two-term California governor with a rising national profile made a quick stop in Israel on Friday, amid the Jewish State's war with Hamas.

Then it was on to China, where Newsom aims to discuss climate change with the world's most populous nation.

But it's a delicate dance for the governor, who as a top surrogate on behalf of President Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign, needs to make sure he doesn't disrupt fragile relations between the administration in Washington and the communist regime in Beijing.

While in Israel, the governor huddled with Californians and others who survived the horrific assault by Hamas militants nearly two weeks ago, which was the deadliest attack on Israel in half a century.

"Today, I met with a Californian who was shot during a missile and grenade attack. She covered herself among dead people to survive. After hours of endless terror, she was rescued and transported to a hospital," Newsom wrote in a social media posting, as he described his visit to a hospital in Tel Aviv.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

The Rafah border crossing connecting Gaza to Egypt will open Saturday morning to allow passage for civilians fleeing Gaza amid continued violence between Israeli forces and Hamas terrorists.

The U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs said the crossing is expected to open at 10 a.m. local time, although the time period it will remain open is unclear.

"We have received information that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will open on Saturday, 21 October at 10:00 AM local time," the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs said in a statement. "If the border is opened, we do not know how long it will remain open for foreign citizens to depart Gaza."

"We anticipate that many people would attempt to cross should the border open, and U.S. citizens attempting to enter Egypt should expect a potentially chaotic and disorderly environment on both sides of the crossing ... The situation remains dynamic and fluid and the security environment is unpredictable. You should assess your personal safety and security before choosing to move toward the border or trying to cross," the statement added.

More than 5,600 people have been killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas launched its largest attack against Israel in decades on October 7, leading to retaliatory action from Israeli forces. Thousands more have been wounded, and many others have been taken hostage by Hamas and raped, tortured and murdered.

The chancellor of a California university condemned an assistant professor's apparent social media posting threatening violence against "Zionist journalists" as "revolting" on Thursday.

An account affiliated with a University of California-Davis faculty member named Jemma Decristo posted last week on X, "One group of ppl we have easy access to in the US is all these Zionist journalists who spread propaganda & misinformation… they have houses w addresses, kids in school… they can fear their bosses, but they should fear us more." The post ended with emojis depicting a knife, axe and drops of blood. 

Her biography page on the UC-Davis website had an error message, but the The Forward reported an archived biography described her as "an assistant professor in American studies and African American studies." Her X account is now private.

Chancellor Gary S. May released a statement saying he disagreed wholeheartedly with the remarks and explained how the university was proceeding.

"I absolutely condemn the posts attributed to a UC Davis faculty member that recently appeared on the social media platform X," he wrote. "I find the comments revolting in every way, and I disagree wholeheartedly with them. UC Davis rejects all forms of violence and discrimination, as they are antithetical to the values of our university. We strive to foster a climate of equity and justice built on mutual understanding and respect for all members of the community."

He went on to say that when the university receives a complaint that a faculty member has engaged in misconduct, the matter is reviewed internally as a confidential personnel issue. The statement did not confirm whether the faculty member in question had been terminated.

"We can confirm that the provost will refer this matter to the appropriate campus departments that investigate harassment, discrimination, and faculty conduct, in consultation with legal counsel regarding First Amendment rights," he said. "Some have asked why this faculty member continues to be employed at UC Davis. The University of California system has specific procedures for the review of complaints of faculty misconduct consistent with universitywide policies and bylaws. The status of complaints lodged against faculty members are confidential personnel matters, so we are unable to publicly comment on the steps we are taking."

Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.

The Washington Post stealth edited the caption of a photo Thursday that initially described Israeli children as having been "detained" by Hamas terrorists. The caption was subsequently changed to say they were "taken hostage."

The terror group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, with hundreds of terrorists pouring into the country, killing over 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping many others. The Israeli military said Thursday there are still 203 hostages in Gaza.

The Post published a piece Thursday about the families of hostages, but it was the caption of a photo of a mother saying, "Two of her children have been detained by Hamas," that drew the most attention.

Fox News' Alexander Hall and Alexa Moutevelis contributed to this report.

The family of the two Americans who were released from Hamas captivity on Friday is speaking out.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

Uri Raanan, the ex-husband and father of the two American citizens released said during a press conference that it's going to be the "best day of his life" when he sees his daughter again.

"I'm going to hug and kiss her, and it's going to be the best day of my life," Raanan said.

Raanan said he has been unable to sleep while his daughter and ex-wife were being held hostage.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. For two weeks. I haven't been sleeping for two weeks. Tonight I'm going to sleep good. I spoke with my daughter earlier today. She sounds very good. She looks very good. She was very happy. And she's waiting to come home," Raanan said.

He said that the two are expected to come back to the United States early next wee

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages, a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., told Fox News on Friday that "vengeance is not a foreign policy doctrine" when asked what her response would be if a Hamas-like attack happened in America.

"We are here to save lives. Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, anyone else," Pressley said.

“Is that a yes or a no," Fox News' Hillary Vaughn asked.

When asked why Pressley and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., do not think Israel should go after the terrorist that tortured, killed, and kidnapped their babies and children, Omar angrily responded “How many more killings is enough for You? Is it a thousand? 2000 more? 3000? How many more Palestinians would make you happy if they died? Would you be fine if all of the people of Gaza were gone? Would that make you happy? Would that the thing that makes you proud?”

Fox News' Hillary Vaughn contributed to this report.

As we celebrate the news that two U.S. hostages have been released by Hamas we cannot not lose sight of at least 11 more American citizens who remain hostages in the Gaza Strip.  We still do not know where they are being held, how they are being treated, or if they are still alive.  

While President Biden told the families of the hostages that he would do everything in his power to bring them to safety, his national security council has no plans for an American-led rescue operation.  

Instead, the United States says it will rely on Israel and diplomacy to free captive Americans. This is unacceptable. American intelligence and military power are capable of more; the president should unleash our decades-long experience dealing with terrorists in combat zones and bring our American captives home.  

With terrorists deliberately embedded within Gaza’s urban civilian populations, and Hamas operating out of an unmapped elaborate tunnel system, locating the hostages is extremely challenging, to be sure.  

Moreover, as a number of experts have pointed out, Hamas has likely distributed the hostages to multiple locations in Gaza making a single rescue effort impossible. As a result, the Biden administration is pursuing a release via diplomacy working with the International Committee of the Red Cross and through countries, like Egypt and Qatar, that deal directly with Hamas.  

This is a recipe for failure.  

Egypt is preoccupied with managing the Gazan humanitarian disaster and the concomitant security risk of a million-plus Gazans building up on its border. The plight of American hostages will be used, at best, as leverage to help Egypt manage its border crisis; more likely, it views the hostages as a distraction from its core interests.  

Qatar is an unreliable actor. Its willingness to patronize Hamas, openly host their political leadership in its capital and facilitate meetings with Iran’s leadership ought to give American diplomats pause that the road to freeing our hostages runs through Doha.  

Israel remains the most promising pathway to saving American citizens, but it too is understandably focused elsewhere. Mobilizing over 300,000 forces for the expected ground incursion into Gaza is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s No. 1 priority.  

And Israel has its own hostage crisis to manage with Hamas holding an estimated 200 Israeli citizens. It is simply unreasonable and unrealistic to expect Israel to dedicate precious resources to saving American hostages, nor should we expect Israel to delay its offensive until the hostages are freed.  

Given these deficiencies, it is critical the Biden administration develop a U.S.-led option to complement the overall effort to rescue American hostages. With over two decades experience carrying out counterterrorism operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world, U.S. intelligence agencies and special operations units know how to operate in unfamiliar urban combat zones riddled with risk and terrorist activity.  

Cases like the 2008 rescue of Al Geiser in Afghanistan and the 2020 rescue of Philip Walton in Niger are just two successful examples. U.S. Central Command and national intelligence assets should be prioritizing collection on Gaza and developing rescue packages on each of the U.S. hostages.  

With liaison officers from the intelligence community and special operations command on the ground in Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces are in a far better position to support a U.S. effort than it is to lead and organize a rescue operation on behalf of U.S. citizens.  

The USS Ford carrier strike group recently deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean is well positioned to launch and oversee a rescue operation. With a second carrier group underway to the region the U.S. military can carry out its regional deterrence mission, provide military support to Israel should Hezbollah open a second front from Lebanon, and carry out a rescue operation.  

An American-led rescue effort would undoubtedly be high risk, but our national security apparatus is built for this kind of contingency. Every day American hostages remain in Gaza the more their lives are imperiled. At least one known American hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, is in need of urgent medical care and may not have days left to wait.   

As Biden reminded Americans recently, Hamas is a terrorist organization that operates no differently from ISIS. The ISIS analogy extends beyond its brutality and evil ideology; it is relevant to the hostage crisis too.  

As opposed to other hostage negotiation efforts, like those with Iran or Russia, Hamas is not engaging in diplomatic chess. We can assume Hamas will operate no differently from those who captured and murdered journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002; Hamas has reportedly threatened to kill a hostage whenever Israel bombs targets in Gaza without warning. 

With 32 Americans murdered and 11 more Americans unaccounted for or taken hostage by Hamas, the Gaza war is America’s war, too. How we handle the plight of captured American citizens will determine whether adversaries and terrorist organizations think they can benefit from capturing or killing more Americans in the future.  

Over the past three years, we have failed to deter Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and ISIS from taking American hostages. Given this record, Hamas likely believes it has more to gain by holding hostages than releasing them. That is why it is critical we shift the paradigm immediately and rescue our citizens.  

Roger Zakheim is director of the Ronald Reagan Institute and a former general counsel on the House Armed Services Committee. He is a commissioner on the National Defense Strategy Commission. 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant on Friday, according to the Pentagon.

"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke today with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant to discuss updates on Israel's operations to restore security after Hamas' terrorist attacks. Secretary Austin expressed his appreciation regarding humanitarian assistance developments and welcomed the release of two American hostages. The Secretary reiterated U.S. support for Israel's self-defense and his commitment to deterring any state or non-state actors seeking to escalate the conflict," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder wrote in a readout.

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has released a picture of the two released American hostages speaking with President Biden via phone.

".@POTUS spoke this evening with the two American citizens who had been held hostage by Hamas. We are so grateful that they are safe. We will continue to do everything we can to unite all hostages with their loved ones," the embassy wrote in a post on X.

The two American citizens were being held hostage by Hamas.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

President Biden said in an earlier statement that the White House has been working tirelessly to get Americans released.

"Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7.  Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear. These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy in this moment," Biden said in a statement.

"From the earliest moments of this attack, we 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.  I thank the government of Qatar and the government of Israel for their partnership in this work.  Jill and I have been holding close in our hearts all the families of unaccounted for Americans. And, as I told those families when I spoke with them last week—we will not stop until we get their loved ones home. As president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans held hostage around the world," he added.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages, a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference that some of the 10 Americans still unaccounted for are being held hostage by Hamas.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

The New York Times is defending its rehiring of a Gaza journalist who was previously exposed for praising Hitler.

The Times rehired freelance videographer Soliman Hijj as part of its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. In August 2022, the pro-Israel media watchdog HonestReporting shed light on Hijjy, whose work had been featured by the Times between 2018 and 2021.

HonestReporting found that Hijjy praised Adolf Hitler in a 2012 Facebook post, writing, "How great you are, Hitler" in Arabic. 

In a 2018 post, Hijjy shared a photo of himself with a caption that translated to either "I'm in tune like Hitler during the holocaust" or "in a state of harmony as Hitler was during the Holocaust."

In a separate post, he referred to the terrorist group Hamas' rocket fire toward Israel as "the resistance."

At the time, a spokesperson for The Times told HonestReporting that it was looking into Hiijy's social media posts and declined to comment further in response to FOX News' inquiry. 

However, in the wake of Hamas' horrific Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Hijjy's name has reemerged in the Times' coverage of the brewing war, as first pointed out by the Jewish newspaper Algemeiner. 

The Times is now standing by Hijjy. 

"We reviewed problematic social media posts by Mr. Hijjy when they first came to light in 2022 and took a variety of actions to ensure he understood our concerns and could adhere to our standards if he wished to do freelance work for us in the future," a spokesperson for the Times told FOX News Digital. "Mr. Hijjy followed those steps and has maintained high journalistic standards. He has delivered important and impartial work at great personal risk in Gaza during this conflict."

FOX News Digital asked multiple follow-up questions, including what were the Times' specific standards Hijjy was adhering to and how can he cover the Israel-Gaza conflict impartially when he has praised Hitler in the past. The Times spokesperson declined to comment further. 

Hijjy has either had a byline or contributed to eight separate reports for the Times since Oct. 12, according to his author page. 

His work includes the Times' coverage of the explosion outside the Gaza hospital this week, which the Times' and many other media organizations reported was an Israeli airstrike, citing Hamas officials' false claims.

Hijjy's return to the Times is not being welcomed by critics. 

"The @nytimes has just rehired a NAZI. Let that sink in," Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan reacted. "We all saw how the NYT immediately parroted Hamas’ lies regarding the al-Ahli hospital (which Hijjy contributed to) and still refuses to retract these fabrications. Spreading Hamas propaganda and rehiring a Holocaust-praising terror supporter, actively stokes antisemitism. Every Jew must understand that not reading or advertising in Hamas mouthpieces is an integral part of our right to self-defense."

Fox News' Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.

President Biden on Friday spoke with the two Americans released after being held captive by Hamas, according to the White House.

“The President just completed a call with the two Americans released today after being taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel. He relayed that they will have the full support of the U.S. government as they recover from this terrible ordeal," a White House spokesperson said.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages, a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley reiterated her support for Israel on Friday while also cautioning the Biden administration to "be smart" regarding Qatari mediation efforts that led to the release of two American hostages — a mother and daughter — by Hamas.

The hostages, identified as Judith and Natalie Raanan, were taken by Hamas from the Nahal Oz kibbutz in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip and released "on humanitarian grounds" following Qatari intervention. 

"The second thing I'll say to the Biden administration is don't fall for it. This is you know, I have dealt with Qatar in terms of trying to get hostages or actually hostage bodies out of Gaza," Haley told "America Reports" co-anchor Sandra Smith on Friday. "This is what they do. They're trying to earn favor with the United States."

At least 11 more Americans remain unaccounted for. 

Haley said Hamas is worried about a potential Israeli ground operation and that "they're going to throw two hostages out there for one to see if they can weaken us to keep Israel from going into Gaza," said Haley, who was wearing a sweater with the phrase, "She Who Dares Wins."

"Who Dares Wins" is the motto of the Sayeret Matkal, an elite Israeli paratrooper unit.

"This is a time to be smart. Go in smart," Haley said. "Don't let this weaken us. Don't fall for it. We've got 200 more hostages in there. And don't forget what happened on Oct. 7. They want everybody to forget. We can never forget. Israel needs to stay focused, determined, and America needs to have their back."

Haley, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under former President Trump, has been steadfast in her support for Israel since the deadly attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas. 

"Nikki proudly stands with Israel and its fight for peace," Ken Farnaso, a spokesman for Haley, told Fox News Digital. "At the UN, she warned about Hamas and stood up for Israel — and she’ll do the same as president. We need a leader who will stand with Israel not only when it is hit, but also when it hits back."

The Squad, a group of progressive House Democrats, continued calls Friday for a ceasefire, citing Israel's bombardment of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. The group has been heavily criticized for appearing to place the blame for the attacks on Israel. 

"The squad acts like the terrorists," Haley said. "Here they are, and they're basically mimicking pro-Hamas comments. They refuse to acknowledge the bloodshed and the torture and the terrorists that have caused all of this."

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this update.

President Biden spoke by phone with the family of the two Americans held hostage by Hamas, according to a statement from he White House.

“This afternoon, the President spoke by phone with the family of the two Americans released today after being taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel," the White House said in a statement.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages, a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

The two American hostages released from Hamas captivity will soon meet with their families, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

A representative met with the two released American Citizens on a southern Israel military base a short time ago.

Brigadier General Gal Hirsch was seen with Judith and Natalie Raanan.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages , a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for Hamas to release all hostages and said that 10 Americans are still unaccounted for.

"First, it's very simple. Hostages should be released immediately and unconditionally. That's been our position from day one. It remains our position," Blinken said. "I would not take anything that Hamas says at face value."

His comments come after two hostages were released from Hamas captivity on Friday.

"We welcome their release. We share in the relief that their families, friends and loved ones are feeling. But there are still ten additional Americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict," Blinken said.

Blinken said some of the 10 American citizens unaccounted for are being held hostage by Hamas.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages , a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.

President Biden released a statement after two American hostages were released from Hamas' captivity, stating they will soon be with family.

"Today, we have secured the release of two Americans taken hostage by Hamas during the horrific terrorist assault against Israel on October 7.  Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear. These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy in this moment," Biden said in a statement.

"From the earliest moments of this attack, we 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.  I thank the government of Qatar and the government of Israel for their partnership in this work.  Jill and I have been holding close in our hearts all the families of unaccounted for Americans. And, as I told those families when I spoke with them last week—we will not stop until we get their loved ones home. As president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans held hostage around the world," he added.

A source with knowledge of the release previously told Fox News that the American hostages, a mother and daughter, were released "on humanitarian grounds" after Qatari mediation efforts.

An Israeli official said their names are Judith and Natalie Raanan.

Fox News' Trey Yingst, Yonat Friling, Chris Pandolfo and Greg Norman contributed to this update.