Department. Lets toss things over to jake tapper and the lead. Announcer this is cnn breaking news. Welcome to the lead, im jake tapper. We start with breaking news. Two american hostages have been released by hamas. And any moment we expect to hear from the Secretary Of State Antony Blinken after a spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Ministers Office confirmed that Judith Rannan and her 17yearold Daughter Natalie are now back from the gaza strip. Lets listen into Secretary Of State blinken. Held by hamas were released. These two americans are now safely in the hands of israeli authorities in israel. We expect a team from the u. S. Embassy to see them very shortly. Over the coming hours, theyll receive any support and assistance that they need and of course were very anxious to reunite them with their loved ones. 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 fo
We are back now with Breaking News out of The Middle East. Two american hostages have been released by hamas. They are now in israel. The State Department is expected to give a briefing in minutes. Lets get to tel aviv with the news. Kaitlan collins helped break this story. What are you learning about the two americans and their release . Reporter yeah, amazing news for the families of judith and Natalie Ranaan who have desperately been waiting for word on their loved ones, and we have confirmed theyre the two american hostages who have been released and now in israel according to the prime Minsters Office here. Theyre on their way to a Military Base where theyre going to be meeting their family whos waiting for them tonight. Judith and natalie, many people are familiar with their story. Theyre from illinois and they were just in israel visiting. Natalie just graduated from high school. She was here with judith, their mother. They were celebrating a relatives 85th birthday. They were s