Israel-Hamas War Live Updates: Hamas freed two more women hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip
New Delhi:
Hamas freed two Israeli women who were among the more than 200 hostages taken during its October 7 rampage in southern Israel while according to some reports the US had advised Israel to hold off on a ground assault in the Gaza Strip.
“We decided to release them for humanitarian and poor health grounds,” Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas militant group, said on Telegram.
The Israeli prime minister’s office issued a statement confirming that the women, whom it named as Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, were handed over to the Israeli military and would be taken to a medical facility.
Israel launched an immediate war on Hamas and more than 5,000 people have since been killed in its air attacks on Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Here are the live updates on the Israel-Hamas war:
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- Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Monday it had freed two more women hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip from Israel during the October 7 attacks.
- The Islamist group’s military wing said in a statement the two had been freed for “compelling humanitarian” reasons following mediation by Qatar and Egypt.
- There was no immediate confirmation by Israeli authorities but Israeli media reported that the women had been taken to the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
- Two American women, a mother and daughter, were freed on Friday.
- Israel on Monday increased the number of hostages it has confirmed to 222 people seized when Hamas gunmen crossed the border and attacked kibbutz communities, towns and military bases in southern Israel.
