By TIA GOLDENBERG, JACK JEFFERY and SAMY MAGDY (Associated Press)
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to increase their cease-fire for 2 extra days previous Monday, the Qatari authorities mentioned, bringing the prospect of an extended halt to their deadliest and most damaging conflict and additional exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The announcement, made by Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al Ansary in a submit on X, got here on the ultimate day of the unique four-day truce between the warring sides. A fourth swap of hostages for prisoners underneath that deal was anticipated later Monday.
Israel has mentioned it will lengthen the cease-fire by in the future for each 10 further hostages launched. After the announcement by Qatar — a key mediator within the battle, together with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.”
But Israel says it stays dedicated to crushing Hamas’ navy capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel. That would doubtless imply increasing a floor offensive from devastated northern Gaza to the south, the place tons of of 1000’s of Palestinians have crammed into United Nations shelters, and the place dire circumstances persist regardless of the elevated supply of assist underneath the truce.
Israel will resume its operations with “full force” as quickly as the present deal expires if Hamas doesn’t comply with additional hostage releases, with the aim of eliminating the group and liberating the remainder of the captives, authorities spokesperson Eylon Levy instructed reporters on Monday.
So far, 58 hostages have been launched through the present truce, together with 39 Israelis. Before the truce, 4 hostages have been freed, one other rescued and two have been discovered lifeless inside Gaza.
After weeks of nationwide trauma over the round 240 folks kidnapped by Hamas and different militants, scenes of the ladies and kids reuniting with households have rallied Israelis behind calls to return those that stay in captivity.
“We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two relations of Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old lady and twin Israeli-American citizen who was launched Sunday, mentioned in an announcement.
Hamas and different militants may nonetheless be holding as much as 175 hostages, sufficient to doubtlessly lengthen the cease-fire for 2 and a half weeks. But these embrace a variety of troopers, and the militants are more likely to make a lot better calls for for his or her launch.
On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 hostages, together with 14 Israelis, and Israel launched 39 Palestinian prisoners — the third such change underneath the truce.
Most hostages gave the impression to be bodily properly, however 84-year-old Elma Avraham was airlifted to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in life-threatening situation due to insufficient care, the hospital mentioned.
Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, mentioned her mom was “hours from death” when she was dropped at the hospital. Avraham is presently sedated and has a respiration tube, however Amano mentioned she instructed her of a brand new nice grandchild who was born whereas she was in captivity.
Avraham suffered from a number of persistent circumstances that required common drugs however was secure earlier than she was kidnapped, Amano mentioned Monday.
So far, 19 folks of different nationalities have been freed through the truce, principally Thai nationals. Many Thais work in Israel, largely as farm laborers.
The Palestinian prisoners launched have been principally youngsters accused of throwing stones and firebombs throughout confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. Many Palestinians view prisoners held by Israel, together with these implicated in assaults, as heroes resisting occupation.
The freed hostages have principally stayed out of the general public eye, however particulars of their captivity have began to trickle out.
Merav Raviv, whose three relations have been launched Friday, mentioned they’d been fed irregularly and misplaced weight. One reported consuming primarily bread and rice and sleeping on a makeshift mattress of chairs pushed collectively. Hostages generally needed to look forward to hours to make use of the toilet, she mentioned.
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that conflict started, roughly two thirds of them ladies and minors, in accordance with the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 folks have been killed on the Israeli aspect, principally civilians killed within the preliminary assault. At least 77 troopers have been killed in Israel’s floor offensive.
The calm from the truce allowed glimpses of the destruction wreaked by weeks of Israeli bombardment that leveled complete neighborhoods.
Footage confirmed a posh of a number of dozen multistory residential buildings that had been pummeled right into a panorama of wreckage within the northern city of Beit Hanoun. Nearly each constructing was destroyed or severely broken, some lowered to concrete frames half-slumped over. At a close-by U.N. faculty, the buildings have been intact however partially burned and riddled with holes.
The Israeli assault has pushed three-quarters of Gaza’s inhabitants from their houses, and now most of its 2.3 million persons are crowded into the south. More than 1 million reside in U.N. shelters. The Israeli navy has barred tons of of 1000’s of Palestinians who fled south from returning north.
Rain and wind added to the hardship of displaced Palestinians sheltering within the compound of Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza. Palestinians in coats baked flatbreads over a makeshift fireplace amongst tents arrange on the muddy grounds.
Alaa Mansour mentioned the circumstances are merely horrendous.
“My clothes are all wet and I am unable to change them.” mentioned Mansour, who’s disabled. “I have not drunk water for two days, and there’s no bathroom to use.”
The U.N. says the truce made it doable to scale up the supply of meals, water and medication to the most important quantity for the reason that begin of the conflict. But the 160 to 200 vehicles a day continues to be lower than half what Gaza was importing earlier than the preventing, at the same time as humanitarian wants have soared.
Long traces shaped outdoors stations distributing cooking gas, allowed in for the primary time. Fuel for turbines has been introduced for key service suppliers, together with hospitals, water and sanitation amenities, however bakeries have been unable to renew work, the U.N. mentioned.
Iyad Ghafary, a vendor within the city Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, mentioned many households have been nonetheless unable to retrieve the lifeless from underneath the rubble left by Israeli airstrikes, and that native authorities weren’t geared up to cope with the extent of destruction.
Many say the help shouldn’t be almost sufficient.
Amani Taha, a widow and mom of three who fled northern Gaza, mentioned she had solely managed to get one canned meal from a U.N. distribution middle for the reason that cease-fire started.
She mentioned the crowds have overwhelmed native markets and fuel stations as folks attempt to fill up on fundamentals. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she mentioned. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”
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Jeffery and Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press author Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem contributed.
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Full AP protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”