The two women were taken from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz, on Oct. 7. Their husbands are still being held in Gaza.
By Meir Dolev
The Hamas terror group released two hostages, Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, on Monday evening.
The two women were taken from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz, on Oct. 7. Their husbands are still being held in Gaza.
The two were taken in Red Cross ambulances to Egypt before being transferred to the IDF.
Daniel Lifshitz, the grandson of Yocheved Lifshitz, one of the released hostages, expressed his and his family’s profound joy and anticipation at his grandmother’s return.
“All we wish for is that she’s in good health and we can’t wait to be reunited,” he stated, while smiling.
He conveyed his hope that this event would mark the beginning of the release of all remaining hostages, though he didn’t specifically refer to his grandfather, Oded Lifshitz, still in the clutches of Hamas.
“Our hope is that this marks the beginning of the release of all the hostages,” he said.
The two women were escorted to an Israeli hospital prepared specifically for their arrival and imminent reunion with their families, as per a communique from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The same statement extended gratitude to Egypt for its assistance and thanked the Red Cross for its crucial role in saving lives. It also highlighted the instrumental role played by the Israeli military in the hostages’ release.
“In recent days, the IDF and security agencies have been intensely working through all available channels to secure their release, tackling numerous challenges imposed by Hamas,” the official statement read.
Earlier on Monday, The New York Times reported that separate negotiations were being conducted by Qatar and the United States for the release of only those hostages with dual nationalities.
High-ranking Israeli officials denied any involvement in negotiations over the release of Israeli captives.
A diplomatic insider within the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office was cited on Monday, declaring, “Israel will not be a party to a ‘selection’ for holders of foreign passports for release.”