Israel-Gaza war: Breakthrough announced in efforts to extend truce
Gaza City, Gaza - A humanitarian pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas will extend by two days, mediator Qatar said Monday as an initial four-day truce in Gaza was set to expire.
"The State of Qatar announces that, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on X, formerly Twitter.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday had night signalled his willingness to prolong the ceasefire if it meant additional hostages would be freed, while the Hamas militant group said it is also seeking an extension to the truce that has offered a reprieve to Gazans after over seven weeks of fighting.
The agreement struck by the sides last week provided for the possibility of extending the ceasefire in return for the release of a further 10 hostages per day.
Israel has received a list with the names of further hostages who are to be released on Monday, the prime minister's office said. It was not stated how many hostages could be released on the last day of the agreed ceasefire.
According to unconfirmed media reports, 11 people are believed to be involved.
Hamas in Gaza confirmed that it had given representatives of Qatar and Egypt a list of the hostages to be released. Both states are mediating in the conflict.
This would be the fourth group of hostages to be freed from captivity in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails since the ceasefire began on Friday. So far, 58 hostages have been released. In return, 177 Palestinians were freed from prison.
Israel-Hamas truce complicated by hostage situation
Israeli government spokesman Eilon Levi said that 184 hostages were still being held in the Gaza Strip. Of these, 14 were foreigners and 80 were Israelis with a second passport.
The US said on Monday that it believes not all of them are being held by Hamas, which could make obtaining their freedom difficult.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said other Islamist outfits and individuals are believed to be detaining several people but did not give an exact number.
In New York, the UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the war at least twice this week.
Earlier this month the Security Council passed a resolution calling for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip."
Cover photo: via REUTERS