Two more hostages captured during the Oct. 7 operation in Israel have been released after Qatari-Egyptian mediation, Hamas's armed wing spokesman Abu Obeida said Monday.
Abu Obeida, the Al-Qassam spokesman, made the announcement in a statement on Telegram and said the release came amid mediation from Qatar and Egypt.
He said that Israel had previously refused to receive them.
"We decided to release them for compelling humanitarian and medical reasons, despite the occupation committing more than 8 violations of the procedures that were agreed with the mediators to adhere to during the day to complete the handover process," he added.
On Saturday, Abu Obeida had said that Al-Qassam Brigades wanted to release two Israeli captives without any conditions but Israel "refused to receive them."
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office called the claim "mendacious propaganda."
Israeli Channel 12 said the families of the two captives-Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz 85-were notified of their release from Hamas captivity.
Two American women were freed on Friday, out of the 222 hostages Israel has confirmed are being held in Gaza.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that it facilitated the release of two more hostages held in Gaza after two American women were freed Friday.
"We facilitated the release of 2 more hostages, transporting them out of Gaza this evening," the organization wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"We hope that they will soon be back with their loved ones," the Geneva-based ICRC added, without giving the names of those released.
The announcement came shortly after Hamas announced the release of the two female hostages.
The ICRC had said on Monday evening that it was once again "ready to facilitate any future release."
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 earlier this month.
The Israeli military previously said that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive.
"The majority of the hostages are alive. There were also dead bodies that were taken... to the Gaza Strip," an army statement said.
The military said more than 20 hostages were minors, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60.
There are also between 100 and 200 people considered missing since the Hamas attacks, the Israeli army added.
