A moment of joy - but other hostages' fate still in the balance
Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent
After two of the bleakest weeks, full of horror and uncertainty, this was a moment of relief – and joy.
But the photo released after Judith and Natalie Raanan finally made it to safety showed the two women looking exhausted and pale. A glimpse of the toll this appalling ordeal must have taken.
How were they released? The Gulf state of Qatar said it came about after what it called many days of continuous communication. The foreign ministry in Doha said it hoped dialogue would lead to the release of other hostages.
A clearly-delighted Joe Biden thanked Qatar and Israel for what he called "their partnership in this work".
Mark Regev, a senior advisor to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, acknowledged that diplomacy had played a role - but said the hostages' release was also the result of Israel's military might.
The hope now is that other hostages, especially the elderly and the very young, will soon be released. But Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip has not stopped.
The fate of the remaining 201 hostages remains in the balance.
Red Cross helped facilitate hostage release from Gaza to Israel
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said they were "extremely relieved" after they helped facilitate the transfer of the US hostages from Gaza to Israel, "underscoring the real-life impact of our role as a neutral actor between the warring parties".
Is a statement, the ICRC called for the release of the rest of the hostages held by Hamas, and said they must be allowed to receive medical care while in being held.
The group also urged for humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza, saying they "cannot be kept waiting for desperately needed aid" where hospitals are on the verge of collapse and supplies of food and water are critically low.
"Every hour that passes without increased assistance means more misery and suffering."