Hamas Seeks to Extend Truce with Israel, More Hostages to Release
Translator
Editor
27 November 2023 11:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hamas is seeking to extend the ongoing four-day truce with Israel. In a statement, the Palestinian resistant group said that it was hoping to extend the temporary ceasefire set to end on Monday evening to release more hostages.
The Qatar-negotiated deal between Israel and Hamas stipulates that 50 women and children taken hostage by Hamas during its October 7 attack must be freed over the course of a four-day ceasefire in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children jailed by Israel.
The deal also allows for both sides to agree to extend the truce by an additional day for every 10 hostages released. In return, Israel will release more Palestinians it held in prison.
Thus far, 39 Israeli hostages and 117 Palestinian prisoners have been released as part of the deal, not including an Israeli-Russian man and 19 foreign nationals freed from Gaza.
Earlier on Sunday, a Hamas source stated that the resistance was interested in extending the truce for 2-4 days, indicating that 20-40 more hostages may be freed this week.
The US also expressed hope on Sunday that the truce will be extended for several more days. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in an interview that day that the pause could be "extended for another day, or two days, or three days or even more."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he is also open to extending the current truce, but that once it is over, the IDF ground operation will return in full force.
"At the end of the deal, we are returning full power to carry out our aims: destroy Hamas, ensure that Gaza won’t return to what it was, and of course to free all of our hostages,” he said.
REUTERS | TIMES OF ISRAEL
Editor's Choice: Israel-Hamas Reach Temporary Truce, Hostage Exchange to Proceed This Afternoon
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
