Two Americans Held Hostage By Hamas Freed

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli government said Hamas militants on Friday freed two Americans — Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, who had been held hostage in Gaza since militants rampaged through Israel two weeks ago. The pair, who also hold Israeli citizenship, were the first hostages to be released of the roughly 200 abducted. Hamas said it was releasing them in an agreement with the Qatari government for humanitarian reasons. Relatives of other captives welcomed the release and appealed for others to be freed.