Hamas-Israel truce extended for two more days, says report
GAZA, November 27, 2023
Mediators Qatar and Egypt said on Monday a deal had been reached to extend a truce between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza by two days, continuing a pause in seven weeks of warfare that has killed thousands and laid waste to the Palestinian enclave, reported Reuters.
The announcement comes after US President Joe Biden held a call with the Prime Minister of Qatar on Monday, according to a source.
Egypt had said earlier that there were ongoing efforts to extend the pause by two days. A total of 117 women and children have so far been released from Israeli prisons: 39 on Friday, 39 on Saturday and 39 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister's office said that families of hostages expected to be released by Hamas on Monday have already been notified.
According to CNN, Israeli and US officials believed that there were more women and children being held in captivity than 50, but agreed to the terms of the deal as Hamas insisted that it needed to use the pause in fighting to gather up additional hostages.
Under the deal, Hamas needs to release 10 more hostages for each additional day’s pause in the fighting.
Over the first three days of the truce, Hamas released a total of 58 hostages, primarily women and children, and Israel freed 117 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas said it had received a list of Palestinian prisoners that are set to be released on Monday from Israeli detention facilities. The list includes three female prisoners and 30 teenage males.
A Palestinian official yesterday told the BBC that Hamas was prepared to release up to 40 additional hostages, which would mean a four-day extension under the terms of the original deal agreed with Israel.
Israel was reported to be leaning towards a more gradual, day-by-day approach. And it has made it clear that it’s preparing to resume the war in Gaza, at the end of the process.
Hamas, Israel and the US had been working through ongoing issues with Monday's list of hostages, reported CNN citing sources, including ensuring children on the list are not released without their mothers or grandmothers who might also be in captivity.
