Hamas Releases Two Israeli Women Held Hostage in Gaza
In a surprising turn of events, Hamas has released two Israeli women who were being held hostage in Gaza. The group identified the hostages as Nurit Yitzhak (also known as Nurit Cooper), 79, and Yocheved Lifschitz, 85. Hamas stated that their release was based on “humanitarian and poor health grounds.”
The Red Cross transported the women to Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Israel, where they were then taken for medical care and reunited with their families. This announcement comes after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that there were still 222 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. On Monday, a convoy of 20 trucks delivered small amounts of food, water, and medicines. However, the UN warned that fuel supplies were not included in the delivery. Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow for more aid to be sent in. The UN agency assisting Palestinians revealed that they only have two days’ worth of fuel left and that critical services, such as hospitals, will be impacted if water desalination and electricity generating plants cease to function.
While the UN appeals for a ceasefire, the White House has stated that the “time is not right” for such a measure. John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, explained that the US position is that all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza must be released before considering a ceasefire. Kirby emphasized that the focus is on the release of hostages, rather than a cessation of hostilities.
Kirby also accused Iran of supporting attacks by proxy on US troops in the Middle East. He stated that the US is increasing its military capabilities in the region and issued a warning to Iran and other nations seeking to exploit the conflict as an excuse to attack US interests, urging them not to do so.
Reports from Israel suggest that the release of approximately 50 hostages held by Hamas may be imminent. The Tel Aviv news channel I24 reported that “sources within Gaza” claimed a potential deal for their release was being finalized with the help of Qatar. The Red Cross officials were said to be on their way to receive the released hostages. However, as of Monday night, there have been no further updates on this matter.
Meanwhile, escalating violence along the Lebanese-Israeli border has led to the displacement of nearly 20,000 people inside Lebanon, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). The displacement started on October 8, the day after the assault on Israel by Hamas militants.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has claimed that Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 5,087 Palestinians since October 7. The ministry stated that among the casualties are 2,055 children, with an additional 15,273 people wounded. It’s important to note that these claims have not been independently verified.
Israel’s military confirmed that limited ground raids were conducted in the Gaza Strip to confront Palestinian gunmen. Airstrikes were focused on areas where Hamas was gathering in preparation for potential attacks on Israeli forces. IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari explained that the raids aimed to eliminate terrorist threats and were carried out by tank and infantry forces.
Leaders from the US, UK, France, Canada, Germany, and Italy released a joint statement calling on Israel to abide by international law and protect civilians while acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. The statement emphasized the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law and ensuring the safety of civilians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for Greece’s support during his visit to Tel Aviv. Netanyahu characterized the conflict as a battle against “barbarism” and stressed the need for unity against Hamas, which he compared to ISIS.
Tragically, a Palestinian photojournalist named Roshdi Sarraj lost his life in the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. French broadcaster Radio France reported that Sarraj was killed on Sunday during Israeli strikes in Tel al-Hawa, Gaza City. His wife and one-year-old daughter were injured in the incident.
In light of the escalating crisis, Turkey has dispatched two cargo planes carrying medical equipment and supplies to Egypt for Gaza. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced that two more aircraft will be sent with additional supplies.
In a separate incident, a 33-year-old Dutch woman was killed in an explosion in Gaza. The Dutch foreign ministry identified her as Islam al-Ashqar and stated that she was visiting relatives at the Nusairat refugee camp. The ministry was trying to assist 22 Dutch nationals in leaving Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict.