TUNIS, November 27 – Hamas has reached an agreement to extend the temporary humanitarian ceasefire with Israel for an additional two days, according to a statement released by the Palestinian movement on their Telegram channel. The agreement was reached with the support of Qatar and Egypt. The ceasefire will continue under the same conditions as before.
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed the extension of the ceasefire. Previously, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, had mentioned that if the ceasefire was extended, Hamas would release 20 more Israeli hostages in exchange for 60 Palestinian prisoners.
On Friday, the ceasefire came into effect in the Gaza Strip as part of an agreement brokered by Qatar between Israel and Hamas. According to the terms of the deal, the ceasefire can last for a maximum of ten days.
During the first three days of the ceasefire, Hamas released 40 Israelis and 18 foreigners who had been held captive for 50 days. In return, Israel released 117 Palestinian prisoners. Currently, negotiations are underway for the release of the fourth group of Israeli hostages. It is estimated that there may be more than 200 individuals still held captive by the Palestinian movement.
Israeli authorities have repeatedly stated that once the ceasefire ends, the military will continue its efforts to eliminate Hamas.
In the context of ongoing tensions between Hamas and Israel, this extension of the humanitarian ceasefire provides a temporary respite and an opportunity for further negotiations. The release of hostages and prisoners on both sides demonstrates a step towards a peaceful resolution. However, the uncertain fate of the remaining captives and the Israeli military’s determination to pursue Hamas raise concerns about the sustainability of the ceasefire. The international community will be closely watching the developments in the region as efforts for peace continue.
