For Israel, humanitarian concerns are not easy to be overlooked despite overwhelming desire to finish off terrorism. For Palestinians, it’s a temporary break.
A two-day extension of the truce between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza has been agreed upon, marking a temporary pause in the seven weeks of conflict. Mediator Qatar announced the extension, with the Qatari foreign ministry revealing the agreement on social media. The original ceasefire, which aimed to release 11 Israeli hostages and 33 Palestinians, was set to expire on Monday night. While Israel has not yet commented on the extension, a White House official confirmed the agreement.
The release of hostages, including two American women, is expected, and Hamas stated that the deal involves the release of three female prisoners and 30 minors from Israeli jails. The extension was agreed upon with the involvement of Qatar and Egypt, who have been facilitating indirect negotiations between the two sides. The truce, initiated last week, brought the first halt in the seven weeks of conflict, during which Hamas attacked Israel, resulting in casualties and hostage-taking. The situation has led to significant destruction in Gaza, with a humanitarian crisis unfolding due to shortages of essential supplies. While the truce allows for aid trucks to enter Gaza, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that the two-day extension may not be sufficient to meet all the humanitarian needs of the population.
