PALESTINIAN group Hamas said on Monday it had freed two more women hostages abducted to the Gaza Strip from Israel during the October 7 attacks.
The group’s military wing said in a statement the two had been freed for “compelling humanitarian” reasons following mediation by Qatar and Egypt.
There was no immediate confirmation by Israeli authorities but Israeli media reported that the women had been taken to the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
Two American women, a mother and daughter, were freed on Friday.
Israel on Monday increased the number of hostages it has confirmed to 222 people seized when Hamas gunmen crossed the border and attacked kibbutz communities, towns and military bases in southern Israel.
Some 1,400 people were killed in the worst attack ever to hit Israel, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel launched an immediate war on Hamas and more than 5,000 people have since been killed in its air attacks on Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Hamas accused Israel of having initially refused to accept the two latest hostages to be released.
It also said Israel had violated arrangements for the release “that had been agreed with the mediators”.
AFP
