The Israeli government said it has received a new list of women and children hostages in the Gaza Strip to be released by Hamas on Thursday in exchange for a one-day extension of the truce.
“A short time ago, Israel was given a list of women and children in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the truce will continue,” said the statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, without specifying the number of hostages to be released.
The truce between Hamas and Israel was extended for an additional day on Thursday, the two parties announced separately.
“In light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages and subject to the terms of the framework, the operational pause will continue,” the Israeli military said, without specifying a timeframe.
Mediating nation Qatar also confirmed the extension on Thursday.
“Palestinian and Israeli sides reached an agreement to extend the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip for an additional day under the same previous conditions, which are a ceasefire and the entry of humanitarian aid, within the framework of the joint mediation of the State of Qatar,” Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari said in a statement.
The conditions of the ceasefire, including the halt of hostilities and the entry of humanitarian aid, remain the same, according to the spokesperson from Qatar, which has been a key mediator between the warring sides, along with Egypt and the United States.
There had been pressure to extend the pause to allow more hostage releases and additional aid into devastated Gaza, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arriving in Israel for talks Wednesday night.
