Israel-Hamas War: Truce Extended For Two More Days (Image: X @UNRWA)
Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the temporary truce for another two days. This major announcement was made by Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman on the final day of a four-day truce between Hamas and Israel. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed that a new group of 11 freed hostages is back in Israel. This includes three French, two German, and six Argentinian dual nationals. On the other hand, three Palestinian women and 30 children were freed from Israeli prisons.
The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian pause for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip.
— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) November 27, 2023
The truce, which was set to expire on Monday, has been extended until Thursday morning. “The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian pause for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip,” wrote Dr. Majed al Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, on his X handle on November 27. Notably, Qatar and Egypt are the key mediators in the ongoing conflict. Hamas has confirmed the truce extension, but Israel has not given any official statement on this development.
IDF and ISA forces are currently accompanying 11 released hostages inside Israeli territory. After they undergo an initial medical assessment, our forces will accompany them until they are reunited with their families.
The IDF, together with the entire Israeli security…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 27, 2023
According to a CNN report, citing an Israeli senior adviser, Hamas will release ten hostages each day under the truce agreement. CNN also reported that Hamas has released 69 hostages so far, and they primarily include women and children. Meanwhile, Israel has also released 150 Palestinians, mainly women and minors. French President Emmanuel Macron has also welcomed the release of three Israeli-French hostages. The Times of Israel reported that Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”s office has received a list of hostages who are set to be released on Tuesday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the truce extension in Gaza. Antonio Guterres described the extension as a “glimpse of hope and humanity in the middle of the darkness of war.” Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the West Bank, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates this week. With this move, the Biden administration is trying to extend a ceasefire in Gaza and get more hostages released. On November 27, Antony Blinken spoke with Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and thanked the PM for Qatar’s efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Reports suggest that more than 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 1,200 in Israel since the conflict began.
