According to Israel’s estimate, there are still around 220 people held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
Two elderly women who were held hostage by the extremist organization Hamas, which controls Gaza, are on their way to treatment in Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the night before Tuesday.
The 79- and 85-year-old hostages freed by Hamas crossed the Gaza border at the anti-Egyptian Rafah border crossing late Monday, Egyptian media reported.
They were handed over to the Israeli armed forces. The Israeli government thanked Egypt and the Red Cross for their help in freeing the hostages, reports an Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The extremist organization Hamas previously announced the release of the hostages. According to the military wing of Hamas, the release was done for humanitarian reasons.
According to Egyptian television, the freed women were taken from the border in ambulances.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz both are from the Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel.
According to Biden, the ceasefire requires the release of the hostages
Last time, Hamas released two American women on Friday. Israel confirmed today that approximately 220 people are being held hostage in Gaza.
Hamas fighters took hostages during a surprise attack on Israel on October 7. Since the attack by Hamas, Israel has carried out continuous airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
President of the United States Joe Biden said on Monday that talks on a Gaza cease-fire can only take place after Hamas releases all the hostages it has taken.
According to the US, a ceasefire in Gaza would benefit Hamas. A humanitarian ceasefire has been proposed by, among others, the Secretary General of the UN Antonio Guterres and responsible for EU external relations Josep Borrell.
– (The ceasefire) would give Hamas the opportunity to rest, equip itself and prepare to continue terrorist attacks against Israel, said a spokesperson for the US State Department Matthew Miller on Monday.
According to Miller, the United States is working to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.