Two more hostages held in Gaza released

Watch: Hostages released by Hamas helped into ambulances

Israel has confirmed that two more hostages in Gaza have been released by Hamas, bringing the number freed so far to four.

The two women have been named as Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifschitz, 85. Their husbands are still being held.

Israel thanked Egypt for its assistance and the Red Cross for the "important role" it played.

Hamas said it freed the hostages on humanitarian and health grounds, but that Israel refused to receive them.

The two women were kidnapped from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas during their 7 October attack on southern Israel.

Following their release, they were transported to a hospital in Tel Aviv, where family members were waiting for them, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Ms Lifschitz's daughter, Sharone Lifschitz, said seeing her mum again "is an incredible thing".

"Just to hold her hand, just to kiss her face and her cheek, and I'm so proud of her. She's amazing."

She said her mother had been asleep during her first visit, but added that her nurse had said "she's very sharp and she's very keen to share the information."

Sharone - who lives in London - said she has had no news of her father, Oded, who she said worked with a local organisation to drive wounded Palestinians to hospital.

"There's many people that tried to do that," she said, adding "it's a twist of history that these communities that were really peace-loving communities are the ones to sustain such a horrendous massacre."

She added that her father speaks Arabic and knows many people in Gaza and so hopes that will help him.

Despite the situation, Sharone has faith the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas will end.

"I don't think there's a conflict that hasn't been resolved. We have come out of the Holocaust," she said.

"Our capacity to understand what has happened to us, the level of atrocities, is just phenomenal."

More on Israel-Gaza war

A video released by Hamas on Monday evening appears to show the moment the two elderly hostages were delivered, in the dark, to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Yocheved Lifschitz can be heard identifying herself and confirming her age.

Then, before leaving, she turns to a masked Hamas gunman, shakes his hand and says "shalom".

Israel said that Ms Cooper's husband Amiram, 85, and Ms Lifschitz's husband Oded, 83, were still being held by Hamas, and that it would continue to "work in every way" for their release.

Israel says Hamas seized more than 200 hostages in their attacks on 7 October.

Hamas gunmen also killed more than 1,400 people in areas of the country bordering Gaza, causing shock and outrage.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 5,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began bombing the territory in response, flattening entire neighbourhoods.

Two American-Israelis, mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, were released from captivity on Friday.

Earlier on Monday, there were reports that as many as 50 foreign and dual nationals could be freed through Qatari mediation.

A source briefed on the talks denied that leak, but said the "talks are ongoing about a full civilian release but no breakthrough yet".

Hamas has spoken of releasing more hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the entry of more aid into Gaza.

Israel has ruled out any ceasefire as it intensifies its military operations.

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