Egyptian-Qatari coordination underway to release Gaza captives: Sources

CAIRO – 26 October 2023: Well-informed sources have reported intensified coordination between Egypt and Qatar to ensure the release of the captives taken by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

On 7 October, Hamas launched an attack against Israeli cities, where it took dozens of Israelis captives. According to the Islamist group, it currently holds around 200-250 captives.

Earlier this week, Egyptian-Qatari diplomacy has also facilitated the release of two elderly women by Hamas, which are Nurit Cooper (80) and Yocheved Lifshitz (85), for compelling humanitarian and health reasons.

Hamas also freed the release comes days after two American women, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were freed.

Hamas also released on Friday two American women, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan.

On Wednesday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said he and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the importance of giving the opportunity and time for working on the release of more captives in Gaza by achieving as much de-escalation as possible.

Macron said France will work with Egypt to release all captives taken by Hamas.

Egypt has condemned the attacks against civilians on 7 October as well as the subsequent unrelenting Israeli attacks in Gaza, which have killed more than 6,500 Palestinians, injured more than 18,400 people and displaced around 1.5 million inhabitants.