In a significant diplomatic development, the Egyptian General Authority for Information (a governmental body) announced on Thursday that Egyptian and Qatari negotiators are pushing for a two-day extension of the truce in Gaza. This extension comes with the release of more prisoners and an increase in the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Diaa Rashwan, head of the Egyptian General Authority for Information, stated, “The humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip has been extended for one more day thanks to intense Egyptian and Qatari efforts.” He elaborated that the truce currently includes an agreement on releasing ten Israeli detainees and freeing thirty Palestinians, along with the continued flow of humanitarian aid to both northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip, maintaining the quantities agreed upon during the previous six days of the ceasefire.
Rashwan further highlighted the ongoing Egyptian and Qatari communications aimed at extending the humanitarian truce for an additional two days. This effort seeks to halt further hostilities, release more prisoners and detainees, and introduce more humanitarian and relief aid into Gaza. He underscored that the intense Egyptian-Qatari efforts had overcome numerous obstacles hindering the implementation of today’s truce agreement.
“Today’s humanitarian truce agreement is being closely monitored by Egypt,” Rashwan affirmed, urging both parties to adhere to the agreed terms and promising that Egypt will continue its utmost efforts to ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. This commitment was echoed by U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Affairs John Kerry during the opening of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) conference.
In a last-minute agreement, just minutes before the expiration of the sixth day of the ceasefire, Tel Aviv and Hamas agreed to extend the cessation of hostilities in Gaza for another day. This extension came after Hamas announced it would release additional Israeli hostages, as per the Qatari Foreign Ministry’s statement.
Israel confirmed receiving a new list of names of hostages, including women and children detained in the Gaza Strip, who were to be released on Thursday in exchange for freeing Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails under the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
The truce, which began on November 24, was initially set to conclude on Thursday at 7 AM (5 AM GMT) but was extended at the last moment. The ceasefire agreements, interspersed with the entry of aid into Gaza, resulted in Hamas releasing over 95 hostages, including two Americans, while Israel freed 210 Palestinians from its prisons.
In its surprise attack on Israeli towns on October 7, Hamas captured over 240 people, including many Americans. This attack resulted in the death of at least 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli officials, compared to approximately 15,000 Palestinian casualties from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
The ceasefire provided a brief respite for the 2.4 million Palestinians living in Gaza, who had been under intense Israeli bombardment since the war’s inception. The extension of the truce and the increase in humanitarian aid represent crucial steps towards alleviating the suffering of Gazans and moving closer to a lasting peace in the region.
