Family of Chicago area mother, daughter freed by Hamas await reunion
CHICAGO (CBS) – The North Shore mother and daughter who were the first hostages freed by Hamas last Friday could be back in the Chicago area soon.
But for their extended family, it was just the beginning, as 13 members of the family have either been killed or kidnapped by Hamas.
CBS 2's Marissa Perlman spoke to family members about the details of their return.
Natalie Raanan's father, Uri, had high hopes his daughter and her mother, Judith, will make it back to the Chicago area in time to celebrate Natalie's 18th birthday on Tuesday. Family of the two said the past two weeks have been a living nightmare.
But their fight to free their entire family is only beginning.
"It's going to be a long road for them and for the rest of the family to heal from this," said Ayelet Sella.
Sella said getting to hug her cousins, Natalie and Judith was overwhelming, but for the family, the nightmare is far from over.
"Being happy is a privilege that we do not have right now," Sella said. "We have eight other family members, among them young children, that are still being held hostage."
Video released Friday showed the mother and daughter moments after being freed by Hamas terrorists. The Red Cross assisted on the ground transfer from Gaza. Family members said they will be treated at an Israeli hospital before flying home to Chicago.
"It's been 13 days and it's felt like 13 years," said Ben Raanan.
Waiting for them will be Natalie's brother, Ben, who lives in Denver and their father, Uri.
"I would love for it to happen before her 18th birthday on the 24th," Ben said. "But if not, that's fine, and we will do whatever she wants. I would say we would get a steak, but in reality, I know she probably wants, like, McDonald's fries is what she actually wants."
Judith and Natalie were in Israel for Judith's mother's 85th birthday when they were both taken hostage. Natalie and Ben had plans to get matching tattoos when she turned 18.
Last week, when he got word she was missing, Ben got a tattoo in her honor, "The Tree of Life," a symbol of hope that he would see his sister again.
"When I see her again, I think there aren't going to be words to express what's going on," Ben said. "I think it's just going to be this, like, intense hug that is bigger than words."
The family said the "homecoming" is not the end. It's just the beginning of their fight for the release of the remaining hostage.
"We care just as deeply about those families as we do our own because we know the pain of what's happened," Ben said. "And we know that there are civilians in Gaza right now who have nothing to do with this who are being hurt, and so we as a family are just praying as much as possible for all those human lives and just please keep hope, because that's the only thing you've got."
Sella alos called on the Israeli government to secure the release of the remaining hostages before launching a ground invasion into Gaza.
The family believes details on Natalie and Judith's experience could help Israeli intelligence mine for clues about how to get the others back home safe.
Two more hostages were released on Monday by Hamas. It was unclear if they were related to the Ranaan family.