Hamas said Sunday that it’s ready to extend the four-day truce with Israel after the two sides exchanged prisoners for the third straight day.
“The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas seeks to extend the truce after the 4-day period ends, through serious efforts to increase the number of those released from imprisonment as stipulated in the humanitarian ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in a statement, according to Al Mayadeen.
The hostage deal allows an extension in the four-day truce in exchange for Hamas releasing more hostages. Earlier in the day, a Hamas source told AFP that the group could potentially release 20-40 more Israelis. Qatar, which brokered the deal, said Hamas needs to locate dozens of Israeli women and children who are held in Gaza by other groups in order to extend the pause in fighting.
The Israeli side has expressed interest in extending the four-day truce if Hamas releases more prisoners while making it clear the war will continue once the pause is over. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Biden on Sunday and said his government is willing to extend the ceasefire one day for every 10 hostages Hamas releases.
Netanyahu said he also told Biden that “at the end of the deal, we are returning full power to carry out our aims: destroy Hamas, ensure that Gaza won’t return to what it was, and of course to free all of our hostages.”
So far, Hamas has released 58 hostages, including 14 Thai nationals who gained their freedom as part of a separate arrangement with Bangkok. Seventeen hostages were released on Sunday, including a four-year-old American citizen. Israel has released 117 Palestinians, the majority being women and children or people who were detained when they were minors.
On Saturday, Hamas said it would stop releasing hostages unless Israel lived up to its commitment to allow more aid trucks into Gaza, but the group began freeing hostages later in the day, and the deal has continued since then. Before the truce came into effect, US officials told The Times of Israel that Israel would likely not be able to live up to its pledge to allow 200 aid trucks into Gaza per day since it refused to open one of its border crossings into the enclave.
The truce in Gaza has held relatively well, besides Israeli forces firing on displaced Palestinians trying to return to northern Gaza. But over in the West Bank, violence has continued. Over the weekend, Israeli forces killed eight people during raids in the West Bank, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed in the occupied territory since October 7 to 239.
The extension of the pause is clearly in Hamas/ Gaza hands. Release more hostages and the pause continues. If they don’t than the war will resume.
“The extension of the pause is clearly in Hamas/ Gaza hands. Release
more hostages and the war continues 24 hours after the hostages are released. If they don’t than the war will
resume immediately.”
Fixed, no charge.
What should be fixed no charge is the impeachment of Biden and referral to the the dock at the Hague for assisting in the prosecution of war crimes. Fixed, no charge.
I vote Aye.Biden helped wage war against Palestine. Trump waged war against Democracy and America. He should go too.
Netanyahu said he also told Biden that “at the end of the deal, we are returning full power to carry out our aims: destroy Hamas, ensure that Gaza won’t return to what it was, and of course to free all of our hostages.”
Do you just read the headlines?
Did you read my comment? I specifically said that the pause will continue if Hamas continues to release hostages. Once the releasing of the hostages stops the war continues.
Or when all of the hostages are released, Bibi can get on with the Extermination of Palestinians.
Yes, I did read your comment. I was just reminding you that the war will continue. Judging by your comment, it would seem you are under the illusion that releasing hostages is a permanent thing.
I’m not sure how I gave you the impression the releasing hostages is a permanent thing. It can not be permanent because Hamas does not have unlimited supply of hostages. They can only extend the pause by trading hostages. If I gave you that impression, my bad.
It isn’t a war; it’s a massacre.
I know that Genocide Joe and Psycho’ killer Nutandyahoo are really just itching to get on with their mass murdering, but hey the holidays are coming up. All the joy that was brought on by the release of hostages and prisoners is heart warming. The world would hate to see the good vibes get squashed by somebody suddenly shorting out the ceasefire. All who embrace humanity should want to see the ceasefire continue on indefinately, and maybe set a stage for some real peace. Anyway, whoever starts shooting first and breaks the current ceasefire will be a real Grinch out stealing Christmas.
I think that all free thinking peoples know who will break the truce and resume the killing and slaughter of civilians.
Israelis are “hostages” and Palestinians are “prisoners”. Get it? Subtle, but effective. We hear tear jerking stories about the “hostages” released and nothing about the “prisoners” released. And we hear nothing about what happens to their lives after they are released. The “hostages” will go to their homes. The “prisoners” will still be prisoners at least until they die.
They’re all hostages. Heck, even those not actually being kept in cells in hostages. The Israeli regime and the Hamas regime are more than willing to trade the lives of “their own people” for more power.
Hamas is such a peaceful organization. They are all about truce now.
Hamas is giving Israel a chance not to further embarrassed themselves…!
The IDF counter attack against the tunnel system has been more effective that Hamas anticipated. Hamas is buying time to figure out their next move.