GAZA: Two more Israelis held in Gaza freed on Thursday and handed over to the Red Cross, after the extension of a truce between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli military in a statement said that the two women are on their way to Israeli territory.
It further said that in the next few hours, additional Israeli captives are likely to be transferred to the Red Cross. Israel and Hamas have agreed on Thursday to extend their ceasefire in Gaza for one more day.
The initial four-day truce in Gaza was earlier extended to two days and the deadline was due-to expire today, however, at the last minute both parties agreed to extend the true for another one day.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his third visit to the region since the start of the conflict, is expected to press for further extensions of the truce and the release of more captives.
Gaza has witnessed some of the most intense Israeli bombardment, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people. After more than 50 days of continuous Israeli bombardment, nearly 15,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 30,000 wounded.
So far, most Palestinians freed have been teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces.
The Israeli air and ground strikes have also caused extensive damage to buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches. The dire situation in Gaza is compounded by an Israeli blockade, severing the region from essential supplies such as fuel, electricity, and water. Aid deliveries to Gaza have also reached to a minimum.
