Curated By: Sanstuti Nath
Last Updated: October 24, 2023, 07:53 IST
Relatives of Israeli hostages Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz leave after welcoming them at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center – Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 24 (Image: AFP)
So far, over 5,000 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the war since Hamas’s October 7 cross-border incursion into Israel
Israel-Hamas War Updates: The Palestinian Hamas militant group has released two more female civilians held captives in the Gaza Strip. The move came in response to Egyptian-Qatari mediation efforts, with the International Committee of the Red Cross confirming that two elderly Israeli women–Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper of the Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz– were released on health grounds.
Earlier, Hamas had released an American mother and daughter, Judith and Natalie Raanan, on Friday.
Follow Latest Updates In Israel-Palestine Conflict
Death Toll
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza rose rapidly as Israel ramped up airstrikes that flattened buildings in what it said was preparation for an eventual ground assault. So far, over 5,000 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the war since Hamas’s October 7 cross-border incursion into Israel, according to a report by Associated Press.
Ceasefire Deal
US President Joe Biden said on Monday that any discussions about a Gaza ceasefire could only take place if Hamas frees all hostages seized from Israel in its October 7 attack. “We should have those hostages released and then we can talk,” Biden said at a White House event when asked if he would support a “hostages-for-ceasefire” deal.
The United States has also advised Israel to delay the expected invasion to allow time to negotiate the release of more hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal incursion two weeks ago.
United Nations special investigator, Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, said while Hamas’ attacks on Israel at a minimum constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, Israel in its response is required under international law to protect civilians and is banned from targeting schools, hospitals and people fleeing harm.
Humanitarian Aid To Gaza
Further, as the war rages on, a third small aid convoy from Egypt entered Gaza, where the population of 2.3 million has been running out of food, water and medicine under Israel’s sealed border.
With Israel still barring entry of fuel, the United Nations said its distribution of aid would grind to a halt within days when it can no longer fuel its trucks. Gaza hospitals flooded by a constant stream of wounded are struggling to keep generators running to power lifesaving medical equipment and incubators for premature babies.
Aid Running Short
Mahmoud Shalabi, an aid worker with the Medical Aid for Palestinians group, said the aid shipments that Israel allowed to cross into Gaza were a “drop in the ocean of the needs” required to address the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis there.
Speaking to The Associated Press Monday evening from his home in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, Shalabi said that the aid had not arrived in the northern part of the strip, which Israel wants to empty ahead of its looming ground invasion.
(With inputs from agencies)
