WATCH: 85-year-old Israeli hostage shakes hands with Hamas captor after release

An 85-year-old hostage, Yocheved Lifshitz, was recently released by Hamas, a terror outfit known for its violent activities against Israel. The footage of Lifshitz shaking hands with one of her Hamas captors and saying "shalom," a Hebrew greeting signifying "peace," has garnered global attention.

Alongside her, another hostage, 79-year-old Nurit Cooper, was also released. The incident was recorded after the two women were freed and transported from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing, reported the Guardian. However, the husbands of both the women are still being held captive by Hamas terrorists.

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The ordeal began when these two elderly women, along with their husbands, who are aged 83 and 84, were abducted from their homes in the kibbutz of Nir Oz, situated near the Gaza border.

Yocheved Lifshitz's daughter, Sharone Lifschitz, expressed her immense relief that her mother was now safe.

Lifschitz, an artist and academic residing in London, mentioned that her parents were peace activists. Her father had a history of transporting Palestinians from the Gaza border to East Jerusalem for medical treatment. She grew up hearing stories of kindness that saved her relatives during the Holocaust, and she wished for a similar narrative here.

What makes this story even more intriguing is the apparent lack of any substantial concessions by Hamas in exchange for the hostages' release.

This incident follows the release of an American woman and her teenage daughter who were also held captive.

It is estimated that Hamas and other militants in Gaza have taken around 220 people, including a yet unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual citizens.

Duelling narratives through video releases

Both Israel and Hamas released videos intended to shape the narrative surrounding this conflict.

In a video shared by Hamas, the captors are seen providing drinks and food to the two hostages.

The women appeared dazed but composed, and their captors are observed holding their hands as they are transferred to Red Cross officials.

In a striking moment, Yocheved Lifshitz extended her hand to shake one of the militants' hands. Simultaneously, Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, released a video featuring prisoners believed to be associated with the Hamas attack.

The prisoners appeared in clean uniforms, with one exception, who wore a bloody T-shirt, and at least one seemed to be in pain. These detainees discussed their orders to kill young men and abduct women, children, and elderly individuals, all in exchange for promised financial rewards.

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It is important to note that both videos released by Hamas and Israel aim to advance their respective narratives. However, the Associated Press has not independently verified either video, leaving room for questions about the authenticity and the circumstances under which they were filmed.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

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