Hamas Likely To Release 50 Hostages With Dual Citizenship: Reports

Hamas might release 50 of more than 200 hostages they kidnapped in brutal October 7 attacks in Israel, several reports claimed. Red Cross representatives are allegedly on their way to Gaza to take out the hostages with dual nationalities, they alleged.

The development came against the backdrop of a report by the New York Times earlier today that said Hamas was exploring the possibility of releasing hostages who hold foreign passports.

On Friday, Hamas, while releasing two Americans Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, had said it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its "civilian" hostages, in a sign that more releases could follow.

The American mother and daughter were seized from the Nahal Oz kibbutz near the Israel-Gaza border on October 7. They were reportedly on holiday in Israel at the time.

Israel says the Hamas operatives seized 222 hostages in the worst attack in the nation's 75-year history.

With the Israel military saying it had conducted more than 300 new strikes within 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said the death count had surged over 5,000, including more than 2,000 children.

Israeli raids came after the deadly Hamas attack which Israeli officials say killed more than 1,400 people who were shot, stabbed or burnt by the operatives.

It also said it thwarted a cross-border Hamas drone attack on Monday, shooting down two UAVs that were crossing at the Nir Oz and Ein HaBesor communities near southern Gaza.