Just released this photo on x, formerly known as twitter, Showing Natalie and judith on that call with biden. Mr biden also released a statement after their release was secured saying, i am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear. 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. Earlier, us Secretary Of StateAnthony Blinken said the us is relieved about the hostage release. Our correspondent Barbara Plett usher has more. The release of the hostages disrupted the day here at the state department. We were sitting down for the Daily Briefing and then we were told that it would be delayed for two hours because of Breaking News. Now, they didnt say what the Breaking News was, but we knew what it was. And so when we returned to the briefing room, there was another delay and then Secretary Of StateAntony Blinken came up to speak. And this was an important moment for him, because he has really been pressing for the release of the hostages during his recent trip to the region, engaging in Shuttle Diplomacy between israel and the arab states. He was pressing for this, especially in qatar, which has taken the lead in trying to negotiate the release of the hostages because it has relations with hamas. There is a hamas office in doha, so qatar has been working very hard on this. The Foreign Ministry there released a statement saying there had been days of continuous communication to get to this point with all parties, and saying that the qataris would continue talks with hamas and with the israelis to try to get the rest of the hostages released, and hopefully that would help to de escalate the situation. Michael allen served as special Assistant To The President at the National Security council and gave his assessment of the release of the hostages. So i think it might give israel some hope that the Qatar Negotiation Channel with the leaders of hamas who are there in doha might bearfruit. They may they may give the Hostage Negotiations channel more time to work before going into gaza. Welljust have to see whether this is an isolated incident where hamas decided it was in their interest for these two american hostages to be let go or whether its a sign that they might be able to do more negotiations, perhaps hamas hostages for ones that israel has in prison for whatever crimes they might have committed. Rabbi meir hecht knows both judith and Natalie Raanan personally. He spoke to my colleague Caitriona Perry after the news of their release. Judith prays every week in our congregation, for every sabbath, every holiday, and we miss her. And shes been a part of our congregation in such an important way, and as a family friend, someone who would come to our home every sabbath, parade around the house with our baby and bring over gifts for the children. Really, our hearts are filled with gratitude to almighty god for this miracle. And again, we continue to pray and ask everyone to pray for the release of the other 200 plus hostages in the hands of hamas terrorists. And what more can you tell us aboutjudith and natalie . As you say, theyre members of the congregation there. What kind of women are they . What kind of role do they have in the community there . Judith and natalie are really special people. Judith is the most kind, giving, sharing, generous person, someone who is always first to be there for other people in their time of need. She is a woman who would, as i said, come over, bring gifts for the children. Shes someone who loves life, loves humanity. Her daughter natalie is the same. Like mum, like daughter, these are people who have a love for every human being. And they are both artists, which means that they have a special touch of spirituality in their soul something that theyre able to convey through the beauty of art. For more on the hostages returning home and the wider regional conflict, i spoke with north Dakota Republican senator kevin cramer. Senator, thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news tonight. I first just want to get your reaction to the news that two american hostages have been released. Well, first of all, its impossible to be anything other than pleased by it joyful about it, grateful, frankly, that at least a couple more people are free and they get to be reunited with their families. And thanks to everybody in the value chain that made that possible. Senator, are you confident that this is a sign, perhaps, that other hostages might also be released . Well, you know, its obviously. Wed like to get them all released, and right now would be a good time to do it since we couldnt get it done sooner. That said, hostages are hostages for a reason. Usually theyre used for some motivation, and so well see. But obviously two today is great, and lets hope that it leads to two later and two again and again and again. But in the meantime, we still need to be diligent, do everything we can to identify where they are, and do everything we can to get them released, either by diplomatic means or by force if necessary. Hopefully diplomatic means will do it. But this is where we need our friends in the region, like the qataris and like egypt and our other friends in the region, to help us with the diplomatic side of things. And that seems to be what happened here. I dont know what, if anything, hamas gets out of this or if theyre going to demand anything going forward, but were just grateful for these two for now. I want to ask you about what we saw from President Biden on thursday evening. He has said that hes asking congress for more than 100 billion in funding for israel, for ukraine, also some money for the us mexico border. And he said in his address that its, quote, a smart investment thats going to pay dividends for American Security for generations. Do you agree . Well, i agree that it can, but weve got a long ways to go to make it the type of package that actually does have forward leaning opportunities that does, in fact, secure the Southern Border of the United States of america as well as other countries� borders. So were going to obviously have to work it over in the United States senate, and certainly the house will as well. Its a collaborative process that gets to something that can actually pass. I dont think the amount is so horrible. That doesnt bother me. In fact, i wouldnt mind if it was twice as much, as long as its put to a use that does in fact secure our future. But at the same time, part of why were here at the moment we are is because weve been projecting weakness both out of the white house. And frankly, out of the country for the last few years, as weve really neglected our military. Weve neglected rebuilding. So, senator, could ijump in there and just ask you. Could i ask you what youd like to see then instead from President Biden . Sure. What id rather see, quite honestly, is a United States of America National defence supplemental. And yes, ukraine is part of that. Yes, israel is part of that. Certainly, the Southern Border has to be the most important part of that, because what good is it to secure other nations if were not going to secure our own . But i think we need to recognise that weve been taking a peace dividend, really for decades, and its caught up to us. We have a 60 year old Nuclear Deterrent and we need to modernise that. Our strategic posture is not what it needs to be. So what im saying is, lets rebuild our weapons systems, lets modernise our weapons systems, lets put more money into intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and next generation war fighters and make sure that the world is safer because the United States is stronger, much like Ronald Reagan and Maggie Thatcher did when they won the cold war without firing a shot. So you said, senator, that this request would need some work in the senate, in congress. If you look over at the house at the moment, theyve been without a speaker for two weeks. It doesnt look like the process is going to get resolved any time in the next few days, at least. What is your message to your colleagues in the house . Well, first of all, i would say to individual members of the house and i have many good friends over there, i served there for six years i would say, you exist for the congress. The congress does not exist for you. Put aside your petty differences and whatever disagreements you might have on an individual basis and look at the collective. And that is your colleagues, the other 434 members, whats good for the institution, whats good for the country and whats good for the world. Because right now, part of that projection of weakness, unfortunately as a republican it pains me to say this but part of that projection of weakness is coming from the message coming from the House Of Representatives and the chaos thats ensuing over there. Because when a small group of people can sort of force the vast majority of people into a Compromising Position or a chaotic position, were not projecting the kind of strength that the United States needs to project. So its time to get over it. Now, if in fact its hard to get over it, and i dont want to dismiss just how difficult it is when there are people that are hurting for various reasons or feeling disenfranchised, then lets do the Patrick Mchenry thing. Lets go ahead and empower the acting speaker, who doesnt want thejob, which i think makes him smarter than most. He doesnt actually want thejob. Lets empower him to continue to function as a speaker so that the house can function in its responsibilities, notjust as it relates to the security of the nation and the world and this particular supplemental, but all of the appropriations bills. And realising, again, were coming up against another fiscal cliff in less than a month. All right, senator, thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news tonight. My pleasure. Thank you. Turning to the humanitarian situation in gaza, and several trucks loaded with food, water and medicine are still stuck in egypt. The un Secretary General visited the Rafah Crossing on friday. He said aid should be moving in the next day or so. The bbc� s Andrew Harding has more from el arish in northern egypt, close to the gaza border. High above the egyptian desert, a consignment of humanitarian aid on its way towards the besieged territory of gaza. This Military Plane from nearby jordan has brought medical equipment, including bandages and syringes. Theyjoin other supplies being offloaded here in egypt, just a few kilometres from the Border Crossing into gaza. And inside gaza today, more signs of growing hunger and desperation, people scrambling to buy a few remaining chickens in crowded cities that remain entirely cut off from the outside world. No wonder there is such pressure to get this aid in. This is an operation fraught with risk. The aim is to channel vast amounts of humanitarian aid into gaza through one narrow Border Crossing, amid continuing israeli air strikes, amid genuine israeli fears that this route could be used by their enemy hamas to smuggle in more weapons, and amid the constant risk that at any moment an Israeli Ground offensive could put a stop to all of this. But first the border itself needs to open, a logjam of over 100 trucks packed with aid still stuck on the egyptian side as negotiations drag on. So when the United NationsSecretary General arrived at the border this afternoon, he did not hide his frustration. Behind these walls, we have two Million People that are suffering enormously, that have no water, no food, no medicine. Nearby, an angry crowd demanding the border be opened and the siege of gaza lifted. Andrew harding, bbc news, egypt. For more on the humanitarian situation in gaza, my colleague Caitriona Perry spoke earlier with ghaith al 0mari. He is the former Executive Director of the American Task force on palestine and former political advisor to the palestinian authority. Before we talk about the humanitarian situation, just to get your response first of all to the news that hamas has released two hostages today. First of all, any positive news right now is welcome. Im happy that two hostages were released, but as you said, there are still more than 200 left and there a wider humanitarian crisis. So yes, this is an important first step, but lets see how it plays out. And my main concern that the issue of hostages is not being used as a political move by hamas and by qatar, so with all the talk about hostages and the humanitarian situation, let us not politicise it. I situation, let us not politicise it. Situation, let us not oliticise it. ,. , politicise it. I wanted to ask Ou Politicise it. I wanted to ask you about politicise it. I wanted to ask you about the politicise it. I wanted to ask you about the Role Politicise it. I wanted to ask you about the Role Of Politicise it. I wanted to ask you about the role of the i you about the role of the qatari government in this. They put out a statement saying they have been involved in negotiations with hamas and israel, and they intend to continue those. What you make of that . To continue those. What you make of that . ,. , continue those. What you make ofthat . ,. , m,. , of that . To be honest, qatar has come of that . To be honest, qatar has come under of that . To be honest, qatar has come under a of that . To be honest, qatar has come under a lot of that . To be honest, qatar has come under a lot of has come under a lot of criticism in washington in the last few days for supporting hamas leaders both rhetorically and financially, and i think this is a message from the qataris to basically say look, we are still relevant, look, you still need us. I think it is a bit of posturing by qatar. We still need qatar. We have to play this double approach where we are on the one hand working with them on humanitarian issues but we should not give them a pass on issues like supporting hamas and hosting hamas leaders, etc. We supporting hamas and hosting hamas leaders, etc. Hamas leaders, etc. We have seen a lot hamas leaders, etc. We have seen a lot of hamas leaders, etc. We have seen a lot of protest hamas leaders, etc. We have seen a lot of protest right seen a lot of protest right throughout the region since President Biden visited there, his unwavering support for israel, the extra arms that will be sent there. What do you think how do you think the us is viewed in the region currently . Is viewed in the region currentl . ,. , , currently . Unfortunately very negatively currently . Unfortunately very negatively. Some currently . Unfortunately very negatively. Some in currently . Unfortunately very i negatively. Some in washington fully understand it is consistent with policy to support israel and i think the president in a sense uses his very famous kind of empathy. In israel they say he is the most popular politician, yet the way he was received in the arab world, coupled with the images of death and destruction we see from gaza, is the us support israel. We got so bad that some of the us� s closest allies, jordan, the closest ally, had to cancel a summit from the president because the jordanians assessed that the public is just not ready for these pictures of their king sitting with the american president. So it is making the ability of the us to pursue its Policy Objectives quite a bit more complicated. fine Policy Objectives quite a bit more complicated. Policy objectives quite a bit more complicated. One of the successes. More complicated. One of the successes, if more complicated. One of the successes, if you more complicated. One of the successes, if you want more complicated. One of the successes, if you want to more complicated. One of the successes, if you want to call| successes, if you want to call it that, the President Biden claimed from that visit was that he had got some aid to be allowed in through the Rafah Crossing. We still havent seen that aid actually allowed through though, yet. First of all, through though, yet. First of all. Youre through though, yet. First of all, youre absolutely through though, yet. First of all, youre absolutely right, l all, youre absolutely right, the president get get this achievement. The problem right now as we have political issues. The israelis are putting certain conditions that the egyptians are saying basically, no, this is too destructive, we need to allow more in. On the other hand, egypt is very afraid that if they opened this humanitarian corridor, they will be faced with a magnitude of gazans wanting to go into