Hamas releases two elderly women held hostage in Gaza after Red Cross negotiations
A day that started with intense bombing ended with two hostages being released, ITV News Correspondent John Irvine reports
Two more hostages have been released by Hamas after negotiations with the Red Cross, taking the total released to four people.
More than 34 trucks have entered Gaza over the weekend in three convoys, holding aid supplies of water, food and medical equipment.
Fears over a wider conflict are mounting after the Israeli military conducted strikes in the West Bank and Syria.
The IDF said on Monday it conducted strikes on more than 320 targets in the past 24 hours.
Rishi Sunak told Parliament on Monday the government believe the explosion at the al-Ahli Arab hospital last week was caused by a missile shot by Palestinian militants from Gaza.
The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 5,000, while more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, according to respective officials.
Two hostages freed by Hamas appear to be in an "okay" medical condition, doctors have said as the two elderly women arrived at a hospital in Tel Aviv.
The two hostages have been identified as 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz and 79-year-old Nurit Cooper.
The two women, along with their husbands, were taken from their homes in the kibbutz of Nir Oz near the Gaza border in Hamas' October 7 rampage through towns of southern Israel.
In a statement, Hamas said it had released them for humanitarian reasons. Their husbands were not released.
Medics confirmed the two women arrived safely at Tel Aviv's Ichilov hospital and had a "very emotional" reunion with their families.
“They look OK. Their medical condition is OK. They’re talking,” said head nurse, Eti Uziel, in a video released by the hospital, who said they would be monitored overnight.
“At first, we immediately brought them to their family members. It was a very, very emotional meeting. Right now, we will let them rest a little with the family. After that, we will conduct a comprehensive physical examination," said the nurse, according to CNN.
Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken roughly 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual nationals.
Yocheved's daughter said she was handed over by the Palestinian militants, along with fellow Israeli citizen Nurit Cooper, on Monday evening.
Sharone Lifschitz, who is a British citizen, said in a statement: "I can confirm that my mother Yochi (Yocheved) Lifshitz was one of two hostages released to the Red Cross this evening.
"While I cannot put into words the relief that she is now safe, I will remain focused on securing the release of my father and all those - some 200 innocent people - who remain hostages in Gaza."
Do the hostage releases mean a new strategy for Hamas?
Hamas released an American woman and her teenage daughter last week.
The hostage situation is believed to be the main reason Israel has not yet launched its expected offensive into Gaza as the US and other international bodies try and secure their release.
The Foreign Office welcomed the release of the hostages on Monday and added: "We will continue to work tirelessly with Qatar, Israel and others to ensure all hostages come home safely."
Major diplomatic work is also being carried out to ensure the conflict does not escalate into a regional war with US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talking to leaders in the region in the past few days.
On Monday Mr Sunak also announced it was the view of the government that the explosion at the al Ahli hospital in Gaza was caused by a missile shot from within the territory.
There was confusion about who was responsible for the blast at the hospita, with initial reports blaming Israel, but the PM said it was "likely caused by a missile, or part of one, that was launched from within Gaza towards Israel".
The prime minister told the House of Commons: "The misreporting of this incident had a negative effect in the region, including on a vital US diplomatic effort, and the tensions here at home."
It comes amid fears among Western leaders that the Israel-Gaza conflict could spread are mounting as the Israeli military continues to bombard the region with missile strikes.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) say in the past 24 hours it has attacked more than 320 targets in the Gaza Strip.
The army also struck two airports in Syria and a mosque in the occupied West Bank, allegedly used by militants.
It comes as Hamas warned all hospitals are running out of fuel in Gaza, with the group calling for intensified efforts and "an urgent humanitarian corridor" to avoid a "catastrophe."
On Saturday, 20 trucks entered Gaza in the first aid shipment into the territory since Israel imposed a complete siege two weeks ago.
Israeli authorities said late on Sunday they had allowed 14 more trucks into Gaza at the request of the United States.
A third fleet of vehicles entered via the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Monday, according to CNN.
COGAT, the Israeli defence body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said the assistance included water, food and medical supplies and that everything was inspected by Israel before it was brought into Gaza.
But Israel has not allowed any fuel to enter Gaza over concerns it could fall into the hands of Hamas and be misused, despite the desperate need for it to power hospital generators.
The aid now in Gaza is just 4% of the daily average before conflict
Relief workers said far more aid was needed to address the spiralling humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where half the 2.3 million population have fled their homes.
The UN humanitarian agency said Saturday's convoy carried about 4% of an average day’s imports before the conflict and “a fraction of what is needed after 13 days of complete siege."
However, the Israeli military said the humanitarian situation was “under control,” even as the UN called for 100 trucks a day to enter.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also agreed to a "continued flow of this critical assistance" into the besieged enclave after a phone call with US President Joe Biden, the White House said.
How are world leaders responding?
In the latest round of diplomatic visits, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will travel to Israel to meet with Netanyahu and separately with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Overnight, a 33-year-old Dutch woman who previously sought help to get out of the Gaza Strip died, with the cause of death unestablished.
The Palestinian Health Ministry has said that the death toll in Gaza had climbed to at least 5,087 people, with another 436 people killed overnight, while over 1,400 people in Israel have died.
Meanwhile, Ireland is calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as a "matter of the utmost urgency. The loss of life is enormous, is at a scale that has to be stopped.”
At a meeting of European Union foreign ministers, Ireland's Micheal Martin called for food, water and medical supplies to be allowed into Gaza at an “accelerated and comprehensive scale.”
Is a ceasefire an option?
For days, tanks and troops have amassed at the border of the strip as Israel prepares to launch a ground offensive following Hamas’ brutal on October 7.
Prime Minister Netanyahu told troops in northern Israel that if Hezbollah launches a war, "it will make the mistake of its life. We will cripple it with a force it cannot even imagine, and the consequences for it and the Lebanese state will be devastating.”
As the rescue mission continues to free the 222 hostages held by Hamas in the enclave, a senior Israeli official told CNN, there will be "no ceasefire."
Washington has reportedly advised Israel to delay its expected ground invasion of Gaza in order to buy time to negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas.
The official said they were "not aware" of US calls for a delay to Israel's expected Gaza ground operation, and said both Israel and the US want all the hostages released "as quickly as possible."
"Humanitarian efforts cannot be allowed to impact the mission to dismantle Hamas," they added.
Israel has repeated its calls for people to leave northern Gaza, including by dropping leaflets from the air.
It estimated 700,000 have already fled but hundreds of thousands remain, raising the risk of mass civilian casualties in any ground offensive.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...