Israel, Hamas enter final day of cease-fire amid push for extension
![](https://cdn.classfmonline.com/imagelib/thumbs/10416011.jpg)
Israel and Hamas entered the planned final day of a four-day cease-fire Monday, with expectations for Israel to release more Palestinian prisoners and Hamas to set free more hostages amid a push to extend the truce.
Hamas has indicated it would extend the deal, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Sunday that Israel would welcome an extension that included Hamas releasing 10 more hostages per day.
The initial agreement, which went into effect after six weeks of war, included Hamas releasing 50 hostages, Israel freeing 150 Palestinian prisoners, and a pause in fighting.
The United Nations said late Sunday a total of 39 Israelis, 117 Palestinians and 19 foreign nationals had been released.
The United States, Egypt and Qatar are among those advocating for an extension after working to secure the four-day cease-fire.
"That's my goal, that's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza," U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters Sunday.
| Israeli military video of trucks carrying humanitarian aid being transported to Gaza, during a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at a location given as Nitzana Crossing, Israel, in this screen grab taken from a video released Nov. 26, 2023
Biden also welcomed the release of a 4-year-old Israeli American girl whose parents were killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
The girl, Abigail Edan, was among 14 Israelis and three foreign nationals turned over to the International Committee of the Red Cross on the third day that Hamas released hostages in exchange for Israel freeing Palestinians who had been jailed for various offenses.
The White House said in a statement that Biden and Netanyahu spoke about the hostage release in a phone call Sunday, and that they discussed the pause in the fighting and surge in additional humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip.
The temporary truce is the first halt in the conflict since Hamas, in a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killed 1,200 people and seized about 240 hostages. Israel in turn vowed to eliminate Hamas and bombarded Gaza with aerial attacks and a ground offensive that Palestinian officials say has killed more than 14,000 people, about 40% of them children.
Netanyahu’s office released video of the prime minister visiting the Gaza Strip where he spoke with Israeli troops.
"We are making every effort to return our hostages, and at the end of the day we will return everyone,” Netanyahu said.
He also reiterated that Israel plans to pursue the goal of eliminating Hamas to ensure the militant group cannot attack Israel in the future.
While the cease-fire with Hamas seemed to be holding, the Palestinian health ministry said that Israeli forces shot dead at least six Palestinians overnight on the West Bank.
The pause in fighting has allowed an increase in humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, where the U.N. says an estimated 1.7 million people—about three-quarters of the population—are displaced.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said late Sunday that cooking gas reached Gaza but that the amount was still well below what people need.
The agency also continued to describe “overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions” at U.N.-run shelters where half of those forced from their homes by the conflict are staying.
Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
Source: voanews.com
Trending News
I was surprised over exclusion from ministerial position in Akufo-Addo's second term-Atta Kyea
12:21NDC annuls Amenfi Central Parliamentary primary
17:55NDC's ORAL Brigade clashes with security at Finance Ministry
15:40Walewale NPP parliamentary primary re-run to take place Sept. 8
14:56Alan Kyerematen wins Zongos with Zumunta launch
08:36Settle Ghana slams Atta Kyea for defending President Akufo -Addo on failed galamsey fight
14:09O'Reilly SHS student murder: Suspect remanded for two weeks
16:23NE/R: NPP suspends two executives in Walewale over allegations of gross misconduct
15:01AG calls for global unity in tackling cross-border financial crimes
12:36FDA warns public against palm oil laced with ‘Sudan IV’
14:47