‘Overjoyed:’ Biden, Pritzker express relief after Evanston mother, da…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and President Joe Biden both issued statements on Friday afternoon after Hamas released an Evanston mother and daughter whom the terrorist organization had been holding hostage for two weeks.

Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Shoshana Raanan, who disappeared while visiting family earlier this month, were greeted at the Gaza border by Israeli Brig. Gen. Gal Hirsch and taken to a military base deeper into Israel, Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Friday.

In a statement, President Joe Biden said he was “overjoyed” that the mother and daughter “will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear.”

” Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days,” he added, in part. “These individuals and their family will have the full support of the United States government as they recover and heal, and we should all respect their privacy in this moment.”

Pritzker released a…