Husbands still trapped: Hamas releases two women held hostage

Husbands further trapped
Hamas releases two women held hostage

October 23, 2023, 9:42 p.m

A 79-year-old and an 85-year-old are no longer in the hands of Hamas. The terrorist organization releases the two. The Red Cross can get them out of the Gaza Strip. Their husbands, who are also very old, still have to endure.

The Islamist Hamas has released two more hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). A spokesman confirmed in Geneva that his organization supports the liberation and the two people brought from the Palestinian territory. The state-affiliated Egyptian television channel Al-Kahira News reported that the two women had arrived at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. The citizenship of the two women is initially unclear. There is a 79-year-old and an 85-year-old woman. Their husbands, who are said to be over 80 years old, remain in captivity, according to the Jerusalem Post.

According to Hamas, the release of the two is said to have been brokered by Qatar and Egypt. The hostages were released “despite the crimes of the occupation” for “humanitarian reasons,” said Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida on the Al-Qassam Brigades’ Telegram channel.

There had previously been media reports about a possible imminent release of 50 hostages. There was initially no confirmation of this from either the US government or the International Red Cross. The New York Times had reported that Israel assumed that Hamas could release around 50 hostages who had not only Israeli but also other citizenship. Israeli media reported, citing a political representative, that they would not take part in a “selection” between foreign and Israeli hostages.

Agreement on more hostages “possible within hours”

There was initially no confirmation from the USA that a large number of hostages might be released in the near future. National Security Council communications director John Kirby said in Washington he could not comment. In principle, with regard to the negotiations, “at this stage of the process it is not possible to publicly report on the ongoing efforts,” said Kirby. We will continue to work with partners in the region to do everything possible to ensure that the hostages are released.

The Israeli broadcaster i24news, citing the Red Cross, reported that the rescue service was on its way to receive a group of around 50 abductees with dual citizenship. An agreement could be reached within hours if no new obstacles arise, it said.

Terrorists on behalf of Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, carried out a massacre of civilians in Israel on October 7th. More than 1,400 people died during and in the following days. According to the Israeli army, at least 222 others were forcibly taken to the Gaza Strip, including several Germans.

A mother and her daughter were unexpectedly released on Friday. Qatar had brokered the release of the two US citizens.