Day-long extension of Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreed
Video released by Hamas showed masked gunmen handing captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
IDF spokesman Doron Spielman said troops would “move into operational mode very quickly and continue with our targets in Gaza,” if the truce expired.
GAZA ( Web News )
A truce between Israel and Hamas was extended on Thursday just before it was due to expire, the two sides announced, with mediator Qatar reporting it would continue for one day under the same conditions that saw captives released in exchange for prisoners.
Minutes before the halt in fighting was due to expire at 0500GMT, Israel’s military said the operational pause would be extended. “In light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages and subject to the terms of the framework, the operational pause will continue,” it said. The prime minister’s office subsequently confirmed the extension, saying it had received a new list of captives.
“A short time ago, Israel was given a list of women and children in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the truce will continue,” it said, without specifying a timeframe.
Hamas meanwhile said there was an agreement to “extend the truce for a seventh day,” without further details.
It had earlier said Israel initially refused to extend the truce after it offered to hand over seven captives and the bodies of three more.
Qatar, which has led the truce negotiations, confirmed the pause had been extended for a day “under the same previous conditions.”
The announcement came hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Wednesday night, and with growing pressure for an extension of the pause.
It has brought a temporary halt to fighting that began on October 7. Israel’s subsequent air and ground campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, and reduced large parts of the north of the territory to rubble.
The truce agreement allows for extensions if Hamas can release another 10 captives a day, but earlier both sides warned they were ready to return to fighting.
Hamas’s armed wing told its fighters to “maintain high military readiness… in anticipation of a resumption of combat if it is not renewed,” according to a message posted on its Telegram channel.
And IDF spokesman Doron Spielman said troops would “move into operational mode very quickly and continue with our targets in Gaza,” if the truce expired.
Overnight, 10 more Israeli captives 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 captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Among those freed was Liat Beinin, who also holds American citizenship, and works as a guide at Israel’s Holocaust museum Yad Vashem.
US President Joe Biden said he was deeply gratified by the release. “This deal has delivered meaningful results,” he said of the truce.
Shortly after the hostages arrived in Israel, the country’s prison service said 30 Palestinian prisoners had been released, including well-known activist Ahed Tamimi.