TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been extended by two days, a mediator from Qatar said on Monday, November 27, 2023. The truce was on the verge of expiring this morning.

Hamas so far has released 69 hostages, surpassing the initial 50 hostages as part of the deal.

The truce will prolong a pause in the seven-week war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group, which triggered the latest conflict with an Oct. 7 incursion into southern Israel in which it killed about 1,200 people and took roughly 240 hostages.

Each day since the four-day truce began on Friday, Hamas has released some of the hostages while Israel has freed some of the Palestinians it holds.

Israel previously said it would extend the truce by one day for every 10 more hostages released, providing some respite to Palestinians in the Mediterranean seaside strip from the war, which has killed tens of thousands and laid waste to the enclave.

"An agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian pause for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip," a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said in a post on social media platform X. Hamas also said it had agreed a two-day extension.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, but a White House official confirmed an agreement had been reached.

US President Joe Biden thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Qatar and Egypt - who have facilitated indirect talks between the two sides - for a pact that would free more hostages and allow more aid into Gaza.

REUTERS

Editor's Choice: Hamas Seeks to Extend Truce with Israel, More Hostages to Release

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News