A spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas announced that the organization had released two hostages “for humanitarian reasons”. The Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed that the women had been handed over to the Israeli military and were on their way to a medical facility in Israel.
The spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Abu Obeida, announced on Monday that the organization had released two hostages “for humanitarian reasons”. – Despite this, the enemy has refused to accept them since Friday – he said.
His message posted on Telegram said that the hostages were released after mediation by the authorities Qatar and Egypt and “because of their poor health.”
Office of the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in which it emphasized that the information that the Israeli side did not want to accept hostages from Friday “is Hamas propaganda.”
Hamas released two more hostages2023 Cable News Network All Rights Reserved
Woman freed, husband in captivity. The couple’s grandson:
The freed women were 79-year-old Nurit Cooper and 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz, who were taken prisoner after Hamas attacked Israel October 7.
One of the women is Daniel Lifshitz’s grandmother, but his grandfather is still in the Gaza Strip. The man appealed for his release, as well as for the other two hundred hostages.
– Grandparents are activists fighting for peace all their lives. They helped Bedouins, Palestinians, Israelis, anyone who needed help. For over a decade, they took sick Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, not only from the West Bank, but also from Gaza through the Erez border crossing to a hospital in Israel. Thanks to this, these Palestinians had a chance to have access to better treatment methods, he said.
Appeal from the grandson of the freed hostageReuters/TVN24
He noted that his grandparents helped the Palestinians even in recent years, when they themselves became very ill.
– My grandmother needs oxygen therapy, she also has heart problems, and my grandfather has problems with his lungs and blood pressure. These are very good people who fought for peace. Hamas must also release the remaining hostages. These older people have no connection with this war, he emphasized.
Qatar and Egypt are mediating
On Friday, Hamas released the first hostages, two American women – mother and daughter.
Countries whose citizens were abducted by Hamas from Israel on October 7 – France, USA and Great Britain – they are trying to release the hostages through diplomatic channels, but officially all talks on this subject are controlled by Israel.
Main photo source: 2023 Cable News Network All Rights Reserved