Palestinians stroll by the buildings destroyed within the Israeli bombardment on al-Zahra, on the outskirts of Gaza Metropolis, Friday, Oct. 20, 2023. – AP
Gaza’s ruler Hamas stated Friday its armed wing has launched two American hostages, from round 200 captives kidnapped in assaults by the militant group in Israel on October 7.
“In response to Qatari efforts, (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons,” Hamas stated in an announcement posted on Telegram.
The Islamist group didn’t element how or when the hostages had been launched.
The Israeli army stated on Friday that many of the 200 or so individuals kidnapped in Israel by Hamas militants and brought to the Gaza Strip are nonetheless alive.
“The majority of the hostages are alive. There were also dead bodies that were taken… to the Gaza Strip,” a military assertion stated.
The army stated greater than 20 hostages had been kids, whereas between 10 and 20 had been over the age of 60.
There are additionally between 100 and 200 individuals thought of lacking because the Hamas assaults, the military added.
On October 7, the Palestinian militant group carried out a lethal assault on Israel, the worst within the nation’s 75-year historical past, killing greater than 1,400 individuals, principally civilians who had been shot, mutilated or burnt to loss of life on the primary day of the raid, based on Israeli officers.
Israel has responded with a relentless bombardment that has killed not less than 3,785 individuals within the Gaza Strip, principally civilians, based on the Hamas-run well being ministry within the territory.