Hamas releases two more hostages in Gaza

New Delhi: Hamas has released two hostages, Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz, in a significant development that brings the total number of hostages released by the group to four. The mother-daughter duo, Judith and Natalie Raanan, who are American-Israelis, were freed from captivity last Friday.

This latest release occurred on Monday, following mediation efforts involving Egypt and Qatar, like the previous hostage release negotiated through Qatari mediation.

The International Committee of the Red Cross played a pivotal role in facilitating the transfer of these hostages.

Sharone Lifshitz, the daughter of one of the hostages, remains dedicated to securing the release of her father and the other hostages who are still held in Gaza.

She emphasized the importance of their safe return, stating, "While I cannot express the relief of knowing that my mother is now safe, my focus remains on securing the release of my father and the roughly 200 innocent individuals who are still being held in Gaza."

A video released by the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military arm, captured the emotional moment when Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz were released. The two elderly women were handed over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the darkness of the night.

The release of these hostages sheds light on the ongoing situation in the region, with Israel reporting that 222 individuals are still being held by Hamas following their surprise attack on Israel on October 7th. As these developments continue to unfold, international efforts to secure the release of all hostages remain a priority.

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) has reported that 20 aid trucks made their way into Gaza via the Rafah border crossing on Monday. Of these, half were loaded with vital supplies such as medicine, food, and water. However, fuel was absent from these aid deliveries. The UN has raised alarm, stating that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the principal source of humanitarian fuel in Gaza, is on the verge of depleting its fuel reserves within the next two days. This fuel shortage threatens critical services, particularly water desalination operations, which rely on fuel to function effectively.

34 trucks entered Gaza over the weekend. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with an estimated 1.4 million people internally displaced. UNRWA-run shelters have been stretched far beyond their intended capacity, exceedingly more than 2.5 times their usual occupancy.

The region continues to suffer from ongoing violence. On October 7th, an attack near Gaza resulted in the loss of over 1,400 Israeli lives, as civilians were targeted and killed in their homes, on the streets, and even at a music festival. In response to these attacks, Israel initiated a bombing campaign, causing significant destruction mostly in southern Gaza. According to Gaza's health ministry, the toll of casualties on the Palestinian side has climbed to over 5,000 people since the onset of this conflict.