Israel and Hamas yesterday extended their truce by another day as Washington’s top diplomat arrived to urge a more lasting break in the conflict.
The warring parties have agreed to a pause in fighting to allow time for the militant group to release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
However, international pressure is mounting for a longer truce to allow medical supplies, food and fuel into the besieged Gaza Strip after fierce combat and bombardments sparked by Hamas’ bloody Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
Photo: Reuters
“We have seen over the last week the very positive development of hostages coming home, being reunited with their families,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv.
“It’s also enabled an increase in humanitarian assistance to go to innocent civilians in Gaza who need it desperately. So this process is producing results. It’s important, and we hope that it can continue,” Blinken said.
The latest extended truce had been due to end yesterday, but the Israeli army said the “operational pause” would continue as international mediators negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Hamas, the Muslim movement that has ruled Gaza since 2007, said there was an agreement to “extend the truce for a seventh day,” without giving further details.
It had earlier said that Israel initially refused to extend the truce after it offered to hand over seven hostages and the bodies of three.
Qatar, which has led the truce negotiations supported by Egypt and the US, confirmed the pause had been extended for a day “under the same previous conditions.”
Israel did not give a time frame.
Late Wednesday, 10 more Israeli hostages were freed under the terms of the deal, with another four Thai hostages and two Israeli-Russian women released outside the framework of the arrangement.
Video released by Hamas showed masked gunmen handing over hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Since the truce began on Friday last week, 70 Israeli hostages have been freed in return for 210 Palestinian prisoners.
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