Two more hostages released from Gaza

OREN ZIV/ AFP

Hamas has released two more hostages, on humanitarian grounds, from the Gaza Strip, reportedly after Egyptian and Qatari mediation.

The two women arrived at the Rafah crossing on Monday night. 

The Israeli prime minister's office issued a statement confirming that the women, who it named as Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, were handed over to the Israeli military and taken to a medical facility.

Despite the release, US President Joe Biden said there was no talk of a truce in Gaza until Hamas released all the hostages.

However, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for an "immediate humanitarian truce" in Gaza, urging leaders to make |courageous choices".

His call came as a third convoy of aid trucks entered the Rafah crossing from Egypt, heading to the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, at least 53 people were been killed, and dozens injured, in Israeli raids on Tuesday morning in the Khan Yunis camp and in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces also carried out raids into a number of cities in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian news agency says the death toll of Palestinians has risen to 5,087 and 15,273 citizens have been injured.

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