Qatar and Egypt put pressure on Hamas. Hostages released for free
Hamas has released two Israeli citizens who were being held with a group of kidnapped hostages. Jochewed Lifshitz and Nurit Jitzak (Nurit Cooper) were transported to the border crossing with Egypt in Rafah. They were handed over to the Red Cross. The release was negotiated by Egyptians and Qataris. Hamas did not demand anything in return.
10:05 PM EDT, October 24, 2023
Hamas announced on its Telegram channel that after negotiations with Qatar and Egypt, it has released two female hostages. The women, aged 79 and 85, are Israeli citizens Nurit Cooper and Jochwed Lifshitz. In a statement issued by Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the military wing of Hamas, Al-Kassam Brigades, stated that the return of the hostages home was the result of Egyptian-Qatari mediation. Their release happened for "humanitarian and health reasons".
A recording has appeared online showing the moment women were freed. At one point, Yocheved Lifshitz shakes hands with a Hamas fighter and says "shalom", which in Hebrew means "peace". She spoke at a press conference about the conditions in which they were held. She said they were led through an underground tunnel for 2-3 hours. The terrorists were said to have treated them well. Among other things, they had daily access to a doctor.
As reported by "The Times", Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli defense forces, maintains that over 220 hostages still remain in the hands of Hamas. Most have dual citizenship. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that one of the released women has family in the United Kingdom.
Two Israeli women returned home. Hamas released the hostages
Jochwed Lifshitz's grandson said in an interview with "Haaretz" that the family is "happy and satisfied" and hopes that this is "just the beginning of what is to come. - We can't wait to free them and other hostages from our kibbutz - said Daniel Lifshitz.
The women returned home because they needed constant medical assistance, among other things one of them required oxygen administration. According to Hamas, the initiative to hand over the captives came from Palestinian fighters and had been discussed between the parties since Friday, with a slight - as Hamas representatives claim - interest in the matter from Israeli officials.
"We decided on this release for significant humanitarian reasons, despite the occupiers having committed over 8 violations of the procedures agreed upon with the mediators," quotes the spokesperson's post on the Telegram channel.
