One of the hostages, Yocheved Lifshitz (sitting), with her grandchildren at Ichilov Hospital following her release on October 23, 2023. [Picture: Courtesy/The Times of Israel]
While Hamas engages its attacker on the release of at least 50 more Israeli hostages, the more than 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip continue to be held hostage by the occupying force that is Israel.
Since early October, Israel halted the supply of food, water, electricity and fuel to the coastal enclave. All the while, relentless bombing razed swathes of the world’s largest open-air prison to the ground, killing at least 5 087 Palestinians, injuring some 15 273 and displacing about 1.4 million.
While humanitarian aid finally made its way to Gaza via the Rafah crossing with Egypt over the weekend, Israel reportedly refused the supply of fuel until Hamas released all 220 hostages. This brought already-burdened medical facilities to the brink.
On Monday, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, implored leaders on both sides to make “brave and humane choices”.
“The first step must be an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, saving the lives of civilians through the delivery of prompt and effective humanitarian aid, throughout Gaza, provided according to need and not limited by any other, arbitrary criteria,” he said.
Gazans suffer a 9/11 every few years – where’s the outrage?
Hostages released
A pair of Israeli citizens have been reunited with their families after Egyptian- and Qatari-brokered mediation secured their release as hostages.
The elderly pair are just two of the more than the 200 hostages Israel insists should be released before it will consider allowing fuel to Gaza.
On Monday, a spokesperson for Hamas said Yocheved Lifshitz (85) and Nurit Cooper (79) were released for “humanitarian reasons and poor health grounds”. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated their transport out of the enclave.
Talks to release a further 50 hostages are at an advanced stage, according to a diplomatic official quoted by The Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden welcomed the release in a telephone call with his Israeli counterpart PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
He further “reaffirmed his commitment to ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas – including Americans – and to provide for safe passage for US citizens and other civilians in Gaza,” according to a readout released by the White House.
The 17 days in captivity pale in comparison to the 75 years of aggression, torture, harassment and everything that happens under occupation meted against the people of Palestine.
