US President Joe Biden confirmed earlier on Friday that Hamas released the two women and thanked Qatar, as well as Israel, for their partnership on what is the first instance of hostage release since the start of hostilities on October 7. Hamas said the release was on "humanitarian grounds," as media reported that one of the women — the mother — suffered health issues.
The negotiation with Hamas was led by Qatar and contributed to by the US, the newspaper said. It also cited several statements by Israeli officials in local media saying that the decision to release the women was made by Hamas unilaterally, and the Jewish state did not offer anything in exchange.
The women, identified in the media as Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie, were handed over by Hamas to Israel via the Red Cross, though the details of the complete transfer remain unclear, according to the report.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that ten other US hostages remain unaccounted for. He added that US diplomats at the embassy in Israel expect to meet with the two released Americans very soon.
"There are still ten additional Americans who remain unaccounted for in this conflict. We know that some of them are being held hostage by Hamas along with the estimated 200 other hostages held in Gaza," Blinken said. He added that the US is committed to find and effect the release of the rest of the hostages.
On October 7, Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip and breached the border, killing and seizing people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food and fuel. The escalation of the conflict has resulted in thousands of people killed and injured on both sides.