Hamas releases 2 Israeli hostages from Gaza as war continues

In the midst of an ongoing conflict, Hamas has released two Israeli hostages from Gaza. The hostages, identified as Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz by Israeli officials, regained their freedom just days after the release of two American women on Friday.

Cooper and Lifshitz were abducted from their residences in Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small Israeli community near the Gaza border, which came under attack on October 7th.

Following their release, the hostages were handed over to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and are currently on their way to a medical center in Israel, specially prepared to receive them. Family members eagerly await their arrival, according to a statement from a spokesperson for Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, acting on behalf of the Special Envoy for Abducted and Missing Persons.

It is noteworthy that Cooper, aged 79, was taken alongside her 85-year-old husband, Amiram Cooper, while Lifshitz, aged 85, was abducted with her 83-year-old husband, Oded Lifshitz. Regrettably, the husbands of the released women have not yet been set free.

Yocheved and Oded Lifshitz were known for their peace activism, regularly transporting patients from Gaza to hospitals across Israel for essential medical treatments, as reported by the Times of Israel.

In an emotional statement to the BBC’s “Today” show, Sharone, daughter of Yocheved Lifshitz, who resides in London, expressed her joy at being reunited with her mother. She described the experience as “incredible” and shared her pride in her mother’s resilience. Sharone further revealed that her mother was eager to share information, emphasizing her sharpness.

However, there is still no news about the fate of Oded Lifshitz, leaving his family concerned. He has been actively involved with a local aid group that assists wounded Palestinians and has an extensive network in Gaza. The hope remains that someone will come to his aid, as Sharone explained.

A message on a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel stated that the release of the two hostages on Monday was due to humanitarian reasons following mediation by Qatar and Egypt. The International Committee of the Red Cross played a role in facilitating this release, as confirmed through their social media communication. They expressed their readiness to facilitate any future releases and hoped for the safe return of the hostages to their loved ones.

Israel expressed its gratitude towards Egypt and the Red Cross for their efforts in the hostage release.

The conflict had led to the abduction of 222 hostages during Hamas’ October 7th incursion into Israel. Disturbingly, the Israel Defense Forces reported that more than 20 of the hostages taken to Gaza were under the age of 18, and between 10 and 20 of them were over the age of 80.

The first two hostages released on Friday were Judith and Natalie Raanan, a mother and daughter who hold dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship. They had been visiting relatives in Israel when they were taken from Gaza and later reunited with their family thanks to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

During his recent visit to Tel Aviv, President Biden underscored the importance of securing the release of these hostages, describing it as a top priority. It was revealed that the U.S. had been working to delay Israel’s plans for a ground invasion of Gaza to prioritize the release of hostages and the distribution of aid. These efforts were primarily conveyed through defense channels.

At a White House briefing, John Kirby, the National Security Council’s coordinator for strategic communications, discussed the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the hostages, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He noted that there were still around 10 Americans whose whereabouts were unknown.

In response to questions about negotiations, State Department spokesman Matt Miller clarified that Hamas had not received any concessions in return for releasing the hostages. He stated that neither the U.S. nor the government of Israel had released any prisoners and called on Hamas to release innocent civilians it was holding hostage.