A flag of the United Nations is attached to one of the trucks carrying aid waiting to head towards north Gaza during a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in the central Gaza Strip, November 27, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
In a diplomatic development reported on Monday, Qatar’s mediation efforts successfully prolonged the ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza by an additional two days. This extension marks a continuation of the temporary halt in the seven-week-long conflict that has resulted in substantial casualties and extensive damage in the Palestinian enclave.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced the agreement on social media, stating, “An agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian pause for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip.” Hamas, the militant group in control of Gaza, also confirmed its acceptance of the two-day extension. While there was no immediate response from Israel, a White House official verified the accord.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed gratitude to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as to Qatar and Egypt, both of which have been facilitating indirect negotiations between the conflicting parties. Biden acknowledged the agreement’s potential to free more hostages from Gaza and facilitate increased aid access to the beleaguered territory.
Subsequently, the Israeli military reported that the International Committee of the Red Cross had confirmed the release of 11 hostages. These individuals were the latest to be freed under the terms of the original truce, which was initially set to conclude on Monday night. Qatar disclosed that among the released hostages were three with French citizenship, two with German citizenship, and six Argentine citizens.
Hamas earlier indicated that, in exchange for the hostages, it had received a list of 33 Palestinians slated for release from Israeli jails, including three females and 30 minors.
U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby, speaking on CNN, clarified that the White House did not anticipate any Americans being among the newly released group from Gaza.
Amidst the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by the weeks of conflict, the extension of the truce was described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as “a glimpse of hope and humanity.” However, he cautioned that a mere two additional days might not be sufficient to address the extensive aid needs of the population in Gaza.
The truce, initially agreed upon the previous week, marked the first pause in the continuous hostilities since Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in casualties and the taking of hostages. In response, Israel initiated airstrikes and a ground offensive, causing significant destruction and displacement in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, prior to the truce’s expiration, asserted that Israel would resume full-force operations to achieve its goals, including the elimination of Hamas and preventing Gaza from returning to its previous state.
The extension of the truce also allowed for aid trucks to enter Gaza, where supplies of essential items such as food, fuel, drinking water, and medicine had become critically scarce. Despite the temporary respite, the situation in Gaza remains dire, with widespread destruction and a population grappling with the consequences of the conflict.
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