the two women, identified as Nurit Cooper (80) and Yocheved Lifshitz (85), to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Tel Aviv: Hamas has released two elderly Israeli women, who were held hostage by the Palestinian militant group during the October 7 surprise attacks. The hostages were turned over to the International Committee of the Red Cross and were on their way home, the ICRC said in a statement. The women had been seized along with their husbands, who weren’t released, according to the Associated Press.

An Israeli military spokesman in a statement confirmed the release of the two women, identified as Nurit Cooper (80) and Yocheved Lifshitz (85), to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC took them to the Rafah border, where they were handed over to Israeli officials.

Hamas spokesman, Abu Obaida, in a statement, said: “We decided to release them for humanitarian reasons and health grounds. He claimed that they released the hostages despite more than eight violations of the procedures by Israel that were agreed upon.

Their release came three days after Hamas militants released an American mother and her daughter on Friday in a deal mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

“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,” Lifshitz’ daughter, Sharone Lifschitz, said in a statement.

Hamas apparently received nothing in exchange for the release of the two hostages, who were freed days after an American woman and her teenage daughter. Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken roughly 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual citizens.

Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. Iranian-backed fighters around the region are warning of possible escalation, including the targeting of U.S. forces deployed in the Mideast, if a ground offensive is launched in Gaza.

The U.S. has told Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and other groups not to join the fight. Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire almost daily across the Israel-Lebanon border, and Israeli warplanes have struck targets in the occupied West Bank, Syria and Lebanon in recent days.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there has been an uptick in rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed militias on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. was “deeply concerned about the possibility for any significant escalation” in the coming days.

He said U.S. officials were having “active conversations” with Israeli counterparts about the potential ramifications of escalated military action.

The U.S. advised Israeli officials that delaying a ground offensive would give Washington more time to work with regional mediators on the release of more hostages, according to a U.S. official.

(With inputs from agencies)