Two U.S. hostages held by Hamas — a mother and daughter — released, diplomat says

(CBS NEWS) — Two U.S. hostages have been released by Hamas, a diplomat confirmed to “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan. The hostages are a mother and a daughter.

Additional details about the release weren’t immediately available. According to a diplomat familiar with the situation, the pair are with the Red Cross, Brennan reported.

A message posted to a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel said the release was made for “humanitarian reasons.”

The developments come nearly two weeks after the group that controls the Gaza Strip carried out a brutal terror attack in southern Israel, igniting a war.

Israel’s military has accused Hamas of taking over 200 people hostage.

Israel’s ongoing airstrikes on Gaza continued Friday, but stopped in the early afternoon, catching some people in the Palestinian territory off guard and prompting some to wonder if there was a cease-fire, according to CBS News reporting from inside Gaza.