Hamas releases two US hostages into Israel

Gaza rulers Hamas on Friday released two American hostages, from around 200 captives abducted in attacks by the militant group in Israel on October 7, Israel and the militant group said.

"In response to Qatari efforts, (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens (a mother and her daughter) for humanitarian reasons," Hamas said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Israel later confirmed two hostages had been released and were in the country.

Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Shoshana Raanan were freed nearly two weeks after they were abducted from Nahal Oz kibbutz, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive.

"The majority of the hostages are alive. There were also dead bodies that were taken... to the Gaza Strip," an army statement said.

The military said more than 20 hostages were minors, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60.

There are also between 100 and 200 people considered missing since the Hamas attacks, the army added.

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group carried out a deadly assault on Israel, the worst in the country's 75-year history, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

Israel has responded with a relentless bombardment that has killed at least 4,137 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.