Israel-Hamas truce extended amid discussions to swap all captives
The truce between Hamas and Israel was extended by a day on Thursday, moments before it was set to expire after six days. Hamas is ready to exchange all Israeli soldiers it has detained for all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, Hamas official Bassem Naim said on Wednesday. Israel reportedly released around 30 Palestinian prisoners early Thursday hours after Hamas freed 16 hostages, including 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals, apart from two Russian-Israeli women.
Why does this story matter?
On October 7, Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing around 240 hostages, which triggered the ongoing war. Israel's air and ground offensive in Gaza killed nearly 15,000 people, including 40% children, until a truce deal was achieved. The truce, initially planned for four days and extended later, has so far seen the release of 60 Israeli hostages and 180 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to return to "fighting until the end" after the truce.
Mediator Qatar confirms truce
Mediating country Qatar confirmed that the truce will be extended by one day. In a statement, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said, "Palestinian and Israeli sides reached an agreement to extend the humanitarian truce...under the same previous conditions, which are a ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid, within the framework of the joint mediation of the State of Qatar."
7,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails
The Israeli soldiers detained by Hamas, which has ruled the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza for 16 years, were excluded from the exchange deal and are likely to be used as an important bargaining chip. Back in 2011, over 1,000 Palestinians were traded for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held captive by Hamas for five years. Activist groups believe that more than 7,000 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli jails, many of whom are more prominent than those released so far.
60 hostages killed due to Israeli bombardment: Hamas
Hamas is reportedly open to extending the truce by another four days. Meanwhile, Israel's army is looking into a report by Hamas's armed wing that a 10-month-old baby hostage, his four-year-old brother, and their mother were killed in Gaza. Naim, former Gaza health minister, confirmed that these three individuals were among the 60 hostages killed by Israeli bombardment and are still under the rubble. Hamas said Israel declined to receive seven women hostages and the bodies of the three deceased.
Expanding offensive to southern Gaza 'necessary': Netanyahu tells Biden
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached Tel Aviv on Thursday, his third trip to the region since October 7. Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden that expanding the offensive to southern Gaza is "necessary" to wipe out Hamas, Axios reported. Israel previously told hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee to southern Gaza as it escalated its offensive in the northern part, which it claimed was Hamas's main operating ground.
