Moscow: The Chechen separatist commandos holding more than 700 people hostage in a Moscow theatre on October 24 separated children from their parents, a hostage told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

The captive children were led to the theatre's balcony, while their parents were herded into the pit, the hostage said.

The Chechens also threatened to confiscate the hostages' mobile telephones.

Since the beginning of the hostage-taking on October 23 night, captives been allowed to use their phones as long as hostage-takers could listen to their conversations.

The captives are also no longer permitted to visit the toilet, the hostage added.

The changes had a sinister ring as the rebels earlier threatened to kill 10 hostages every hour if their demand that Russia withdraw its troops from Chechnya were not met.

However, two International Red Cross delegates were allowed into the theatre to bring medical supplies and take out one hostage who was ill, as well as two children and a woman, International Red Cross Committee spokeswoman Annick Bouvier told AFP.

The hostages were also given water and food, said Liberal Deputy Irina Khakamada, who also went into the theatre. Khakamada said the hostages were not being ill- treated.