By TIA GOLDENBERG and SAMY MAGDY (Associated Press)
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry stated Monday that an settlement has been reached to increase the Israel-Hamas truce for one more two days.
Qatar, together with Egypt, has been the important thing mediator within the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas.
The announcement comes on the ultimate day of a 4 day truce between the warring sides.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows beneath.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas appeared open to extending a cease-fire in Gaza that has halted their deadliest and most harmful warfare however is ready to run out after Monday, with a fourth trade of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel deliberate for later within the day.
Israel has stated it will prolong the cease-fire by sooner or later for each 10 further hostages launched. Hamas has additionally stated it hopes to increase the four-day truce, which got here into impact Friday after a number of weeks of oblique negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
But Israel additionally says it stays dedicated to crushing Hamas’ army capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel. That would seemingly imply increasing a floor offensive from devastated northern Gaza to the south, the place lots of of hundreds of Palestinians have crammed into United Nations shelters, and the place dire circumstances persist regardless of the elevated supply of help below the truce.
Israel will resume its operations with “full force” as quickly as the present deal expires if Hamas doesn’t comply with additional hostages releases, with the purpose of eliminating the group and liberating the remainder of the captives, authorities spokesperson Eylon Levy instructed reporters on Monday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace later stated negotiations are nonetheless underway over the past deliberate trade, anticipated on Monday, with out offering additional particulars.
Two Egyptian officers stated talks are geared toward extending the cease-fire for one more 4 days, with one saying that each side have agreed in precept. But that official added that violence within the occupied West Bank is complicating issues, with Hamas demanding an finish to Israeli army raids. Hundreds of Palestinians have been arrested and scores killed in clashes with Israeli forces for the reason that warfare started.
The officers spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to temporary the media.
The launch of dozens of individuals — largely ladies and youngsters who have been among the many roughly 240 captured by Hamas and different militants through the Oct. 7 raid that ignited the warfare — has rallied Israelis behind calls to return the remainder of them.
Sixty-two hostages have been launched — virtually all through the present truce. Previously, one was additionally freed by Israeli forces and two have been discovered useless inside Gaza.
“We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two kinfolk of Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old lady and twin Israeli-American citizen who was launched Sunday, stated in a press release.
Hamas and different militants may nonetheless be holding as much as 175 hostages — sufficient to doubtlessly prolong the cease-fire for 2 and a half weeks — however these embrace plenty of troopers, and the militants are more likely to make a lot better calls for for his or her launch.
A THIRD RELEASE OF HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS
On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 hostages, together with 14 Israelis, and Israel launched 39 Palestinian prisoners — the third such trade below the truce.
Most hostages seemed 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 stated.
Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, stated her mom was “hours from death” when she was delivered to the hospital. Avraham is presently sedated and has a respiratory tube, however Amano stated she instructed her of a brand new nice grandchild who was born whereas she was in captivity.
Avraham suffered from a number of power circumstances that required common drugs however was steady earlier than she was kidnapped, Amano stated Monday.
Also amongst these launched Sunday have been three Thai nationals. With a complete of 17 freed, Thailand stated it was pursuing the protected return of the 15 remaining Thai hostages, who have been the most important group of non-Israelis held by Hamas. Many Thais work in Israel, largely as farm laborers.
The Palestinian prisoners launched have been largely 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 largely stayed out of the general public eye, however particulars of their captivity have began to trickle out.
Merav Raviv, whose three kinfolk have been launched on Friday, stated 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 watch for hours to make use of the toilet, she stated.
RESPITE IN GAZA
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that warfare started, roughly two thirds of them ladies and minors, in keeping with the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 individuals have been killed on the Israeli facet, largely civilians killed within the preliminary assault. At least 77 troopers have been killed in Israel’s floor offensive.
The pause has given some respite to Gaza’s 2.3 million individuals after weeks of relentless Israeli bombardment that has pushed three-quarters of the inhabitants from their properties and leveled complete neighborhoods.
But many say it’s not almost sufficient.
Amani Taha, a widow and mom of three who fled northern Gaza to stick with a bunch household within the southern metropolis of Rafah, stated she had solely managed to get one canned meal from a U.N. distribution heart for the reason that cease-fire started. She helps different households within the neighborhood prepare dinner over firewood in return for meals for her sons, ages 4 to 10.
She stated the crowds have overwhelmed native markets and gasoline stations as individuals attempt to refill on fundamentals. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she stated. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”
Iyad Ghafary, a vendor within the city Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, stated many households have been nonetheless unable to retrieve the useless from below the rubble left by Israeli airstrikes, and that native authorities weren’t geared up to take care of the extent of destruction.
Palestinians who remained in northern Gaza, which was house to greater than 1,000,000 individuals earlier than the warfare, have emerged to scenes of widespread devastation, with constructing after constructing both demolished or closely broken. The Israeli army has barred Palestinians who fled south from returning.
The U.N. says the truce made it doable to scale up the supply of meals, water and drugs to the most important quantity for the reason that begin of the warfare. But the 160 to 200 vans 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.
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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press author Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem contributed.
Full AP protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
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