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In a major development, Palestinian militant group Hamas has released two hostages – a mother and her daughter – who were being held captive in Gaza since the brutal October 7 attack, according to local media reports.
Hamas is reportedly in the process of transferring the mother-daughter duo to the International Red Cross who will take them to Egypt and then to Israel.
As per a Times of Israel report, the transfer was supposed to take place immediately but no timeframe has been given so far. It is being reported in the Israeli media that the two hostages being released are US nationals.
Hamas militants kidnapped some 200-250 people, including children, women and foreign nationals after their brutal attack that killed more than 1,400 people and injured nearly 4,000 others.
While Israel has not officially responded to the Hamas’ hostage release claim, an Israeli official said that it was an individual decision by Hamas and Israel has not bargained anything in return.
The development comes a day after Israel announced to let humanitarian aid enter Gaza via Rafah border crossing on Egypt-Gaza Strip border. It is being seen by experts as a bid to change the world’s perspective about Hamas following the October 7 attack.
Following the attack, Israel claimed that Hamas killed and burned babies and brutal murdered civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu equated Hamas with ISIS.
US President Joe Biden said that Hamas attack unleashed “an unadulterated evil on the world”.
Following the brutal attack on Shabbat – an Israeli holiday – Israel declared a war against Hamas and vowed to wipe it off the face of the Earth.
The Israeli military has been pounding Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip since the Oct 7 attack. According to Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 4,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory air strikes in Gaza.
Israel also announced a complete siege of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, blocking the supply of water, food, fuel, and electricity. Israeli government said that the siege will continue until hostages are released.
