The spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing made the announcement, specifying that the hostages had been released “for humanitarian reasons.” The ICRC confirmed this announcement.
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They had been detained for 13 days in Gaza. Two hostages, an American woman and her daughter, kidnapped during the Hamas attack on Israeli territory on October 7, were released on Friday October 20, learned the franceinfo correspondent in Jerusalem from the ICRC (International Committee of the Cross). Red)confirming Hamas’ announcement.
The International Committee of the Red Cross specifies that the hostages were entrusted to them. The Israeli government, for its part, confirms that the two freed American hostages have arrived in Israel. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the two women “head to a meeting point, in a military station in the center of the country, where their family members are waiting for them“.
A release for “humanitarian” reasons
It was the spokesperson for the military branch of Hamas who made this announcement, between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, October 20. He specified that these hostages had been released “for humanitarian reasons“The objective of these releases is, according to this Hamas spokesperson, “to prove to the American people and the entire world that the allegations made by Joe Biden are baseless“.
According to him, Qatar played an intermediary role. Doha has hosted Hamas leader Ismaïl Haniyeh for years. Qatar also partly finances the functioning of the administration of the Islamist movement.