My colleague katy tur just indicated, we have major Breaking News that were covering. Two american hostages have been released by hamas. They have been held by the terror group for nearly two weeks, since hamas stormed into communities in southern israel killing nearly 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 200. U. S. Secretary of state Antony Blinken speaks right now about it. Citizens held by hamas since october 7th were released. These Two Americans are now safely in the hands of israeli authorities in israel. We expect the team from the u. S. Embassy to see them very shortly. Over the coming hours, theyll receive any support and assistance they need, and of course were very anxious to be able 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. There are still ten additional americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict. We know that some of them are being held hostage by hamas, alon
Good to be with you, im katy tur. We just got our first hopeful news out of israel in two weeks. Nbc news can now report hamas has released two american hostages, judith renan, and Natalie Ranan of evanston, illinois. Who are in israel and on their way to see their family. Joining us is nbc news Foreign Correspondent raf sanchez. What else did we learn . Reporter we have received official confirmation from the Israeli Government that judith and natalie are in israeli hands, they were released at the gaza border and they are now in the custody of the Israeli Military. They were released to a former israeli general, his name is brigadier galhersh, he is in charge of the Hostage Recovery Effort on behalf of the Israeli Government. The Israeli Government says that the hostages were released at the gaza border. They were received at the border and at the moment, they are on their way to a Meeting Point at a Military Base in the center of the country where their Family Members are waiting fo
democrats are still on his side with the white house pleading for congress for $61 billion more in aid, but congressional republicans are not moved. speaker mike johnson even avoided posing for a picture with zelenskyy today. instead telling the wartime leader that the u.s. border must come first. zelenskyy is meeting with president biden right now as you saw. we should hear from both of them again at the white house in about an hour. what can they say to change the mind of republican lawmakers and if they cannot, what will happen to ukraine and how soon? first, let s find out how moscow is viewing this. joining us is keir simons from moscow and nbc news capitol hill correspondent, ryan nobles from capitol hill. chief, keir, excuse me. i ll just call you chief from now on. how is putin seeing this? is he watching this closely? he absolutely is. he hasn t said that himself but his spokesman, the kremlin spokesman, has been clear they are watching closely. kremlin officials w
mechanics headquarters in new york. word from the white house that a deal has been struck to extend the cease-fire, what does that mean for the hostages and what happens when this new timeline runs out? what the break in the fighting means for palestinians who have been enduring a nightmarish existence inside gaza. hundreds of aid trucks are headed in. will it even make a difference in the extraordinary humanitarian disaster. joining me this hour, the executive director of doctors without borders. in vermont a 48-year-old man has been arrested and arraigned after being accused of shooting three students of palestinian descent. his first words to the atf agent who came to arrest him, i ve been waiting for you. we start with the white house confirming the announcement that the cease-fire between hamas and israel will be extended for another two days. here is nsc s john kirby providing details less than an hour ago. in order to extend the pause hamas has committed to r