Israel and Hamas have agreed to a two-day extension of the “humanitarian truce,” according to Qatar, which announced the new agreement as the warring sides try to broker further hostage releases.
“The State of Qatar announces, 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 announced on social media.
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The original four-day truce was set to lapse on Monday, but Israeli officials have been working to broker a fourth tranche of hostage releases. Israel has offered to continue the extensions if Hamas continues to release hostages, even though international officials already are calling for a wider ceasefire, and each exchange is a fraught negotiating process.
“We are managing a deal through mediators around the clock. Nothing is final until it actually happens,” Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters. “Things are progressing, tonight as well, but patience is required.”
Israeli officials have vowed to destroy Hamas in the weeks since the Palestinian terrorists rampaged across southern Israel on Oct. 7. Yet the intense bombardment has resulted in high civilian casualties in Gaza, where Hamas has entrenched among civilian infrastructure, and the prospect of sustained urban warfare raises the specter of still more civilian deaths.
“The dialogue that led to the agreement must continue, resulting in a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel and the wider region,” United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said Monday. “The United Nations will continue to support these efforts in every possible way.”
Israeli officials have dismissed such calls, arguing that only the threat of a renewed military offensive has induced Hamas to begin releasing hostages.
“When we return to fight, the strength will be greater, and will take place throughout the entire Strip,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday.
Hamas seized about 240 hostages during the Oct. 7 rampage. They agreed to release 50 of the hostages over the initial four-day truce in exchange for 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Israel has offered to add one day to the truce for every ten additional hostages released by Hamas.
“Now in order to extend the pause, Hamas has committed to releasing another 20 women and children over the next two days,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Monday. “We would of course hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages.”
The scheduled transfers have been delayed by disputes over whether Israel has sent enough aid into Gaza, according to an official from the region familiar with the talks, while Hamas reportedly has forced some hostages to return without their relatives.
“Hila [Rotem Shoshani] returned without her mother and that is a clear violation of the agreement with Hamas,” Israeli citizen Yair Rotem said on Sunday, referring to his 13-year-old niece. “We demand from Hamas and the mediators that Raya be returned home as they agreed, immediately.”
Hamas has claimed that the separations have been caused by other terrorist groups having custody of different members of a given family, an official from the region told the Washington Examiner. Yet Raya Rotem and her daughter were held in custody together until Friday, according to the girl’s uncle.
“Hamas broke the agreement with complete disregard for what was agreed,” he said. “Israel has to say this is unacceptable. You don’t separate a girl from her mother.”
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Israeli officials hope that the persistent threat of a renewed IDF operation will induce Hamas to proceed with the releases.
“Hamas is responding to military pressure,” Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy told an Irish media outlet on Monday. “Hamas is not responding to press releases from governments around the world asking it nicely to release the hostages. Hamas has been begging for a breather. Hamas is giving these hostages back because it’s getting clobbered and because it wants to catch its breath.”
