Hamas Frees Two American Hostages, Ending Ordeal: A Miraculous escape

Hamas is releasing two American hostages, a mother and her daughter, who have now been handed over to the Red Cross and are currently in the process of being taken to safety.

The reason for their release is the mother's poor health, according to the same source. It remains uncertain if they will depart from Gaza to Egypt or Israel. These negotiations between Qatar and Hamas ensued after the abduction of approximately 200 individuals from Israel by Hamas on October 7.

Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida stated that the Al-Qassam Brigades had released a mother and her daughter, American citizens, as a humanitarian gesture and to refute the unfounded claims made by President Biden and his administration. The White House and the Israeli prime ministers office have not provided any comments on the matter. CNN has contacted the Red Cross for further information. The United Nations has emphasized that the act of taking hostages is strictly forbidden under international law.

Hassan Yousef, the leader of the Hamas Islamist movement in the West Bank, was arrested by Israeli authorities on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, near Ramallah. This comes as Israel accuses him of inciting the recent wave of violence in the region. Yousef's arrest is the most high-profile one since the outbreak of unrest a month ago.

Majdi Mohammed/AP/File

Hamas spokesman among scores detained in occupied West Bank

The release of the hostages was announced following visits by US President Joe Biden, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Israel. There has been increasing pressure on global leaders to secure the release. Israeli authorities reported that Hamas, during the attack earlier this month, killed over 1,400 individuals, including civilians and soldiers. This attack marked the deadliest in Israel's 75-year history and exposed a significant intelligence failure by the country's security forces.

Israel has continuously launched intense airstrikes on Gaza and implemented a full blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leading to a grave humanitarian crisis. The onslaught of Israeli strikes has resulted in the death of a minimum of 3,785 individuals, including 1,524 children, 1,000 women, and 120 elderly individuals, as reported by the Palestinian health ministry. Additionally, nearly 12,500 people have sustained injuries.

Amnesty International has condemned Israel's practice of "collective punishment" of Palestinian civilians in response to Hamas' deadly attack, stating that it constitutes a war crime.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, "the majority" of the hostages who were taken by Hamas remain alive. However, CNN cannot independently corroborate the claims made by the IDF.

Hamas has also abducted several foreign nationals, including individuals from the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand. Details regarding the current situation, whereabouts, and identities of all hostages are limited. Certain hostages have been identified by their families through online videos, leading to desperate appeals for their safe release.

This story is developing and being updated.

CNNs Kareem Khadder, Eyad Kourdi, Akanksha Sharma and Richard Greene contributed reporting.