This is the moment Hamas releases two Israeli hostages on medical grounds, with one of the elderly women shaking hands with one of the militants and saying “Shalom”, which means ‘peace’ in Hebrew.
The images reportedly show Nurit Yitzhak and Yochved Levitchitz, also named in international media as Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, being released by Hamas militants.
The two elderly women can be seen being escorted by two Hamas militants, who have their faces covered.
They can be seen sitting and talking with them, with one of the militants offering them something to drink.
They can then be seen being escorted by the armed Hamas militants and handed over to the Red Cross.
One of the women can be seen shaking hands with one of the militants and saying “Shalom”.
The images were obtained from Hamas on Tuesday, 24th October, along with a statement saying: “The Al-Qassam Brigades, through Egyptian mediation, released the two detainees ‘Nurit Yitzhak’ and ‘Yochved Levitchitz’ for humanitarian and medical reasons.”
The White House has said that US President Joe Biden has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to maintain “urgently needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza” in a phone call.
The call took place after a third aid convoy made up of 20 lorries was allowed to enter Gaza via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
UN officials have said that about 100 aid lorries would be needed every day to meet essential needs in the enclave, which is home to about 2.3 million people, 1.4 million of whom are now homeless.
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has said that overcrowding has become “a major concern” with shelters built to house a maximum of 2,000 people now accommodating 4,400.
At least 10 British citizens have been killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas since 7th October, with an additional six still missing.
Israel’s Shin Bet security service and the police have released images showing the interrogation of six Hamas militants who were captured during the attack on Israel on 7th October.
The Israeli intelligence services said that all of them had been given instructions to kill and kidnap civilians, including older people and women and children.
