Twelve hostages, including five children and seven women, were released by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza to the Red Cross on Wednesday night at around 8 pm, according to Arab media. It’s not clear if that count includes two Russian Israeli women who were released separately in advance.
Hamas first released those two Russian-Israeli hostages at the request of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, later identified as 50-year-old Yelena Troponov and her mother, 73-year-old Irena Tati, both of Kibbutz Nir Oz.
The additional 10 Israelis are:
Gali Tarshansky, 13
Amit Shani, 16
Ofir Angel, 17
Itay Regev, 18
Liam Or, 18
Raya Rotem, 54
Moran Stela Yanay, 40
Liat Atzili, 49
Yarden Roman, 36
Raz Ben-Ami, 57
Four foreign nationals were also released.
The handover took place in the Qarara region of the Khan Younis district in southern Gaza, according to Arab media.
By 9 pm, the IDF reported that the two women were together with Israeli Special Forces inside Israeli territory. “After the released hostages undergo an initial medical assessment, IDF soldiers will continue to accompany them to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families,” the IDF said.
The families of the children who were set to be released were taken by Israel Defense Forces personnel to the meeting point where the Red Cross was to transfer the freed captives to Israeli territory.
The families were then set to fly together with their children to hospitals waiting to receive them in Israel.
Families of the adult captives who were to be freed were asked to arrive at the designated hospitals at 7 pm local time.
The IDF spokesperson said they believe that Hamas still holds 149 hostages.
