TEL AVIV: As the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas is set to expire today, Israel has expressed openness to extending the ceasefire, contingent on the release of 50 additional hostages held in Gaza.
Eilon Levy, the Israeli government spokesperson, noted that Hamas was aware of Israel’s willingness to engage in further negotiations for an extended truce. Currently, 184 Israelis remain detained in the Gaza Strip.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg supported a truce extension, stating that it “would allow for much-needed relief to the people of Gaza and the release of more hostages.”
Earlier, the European Union’s foreign policy chief advocated for an extension of the truce, emphasizing the importance of making it long-lasting to facilitate progress towards a political solution in the region.
Diplomatic Efforts to Extend Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority revealed that Qatar, Egypt, the United States, the European Union, and Spain are actively working to extend the four-day truce deal. Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki stated that the duration of the extension could range from “one, two, three days,” highlighting uncertainty regarding the specific timeline.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, urged for a stable form of truce to prevent a recurrence of what he referred to as the “cruel aggression” of the Israeli regime against Gaza. Kanaani expressed Iran’s expectation that the truce extension would completely halt the “crimes” committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, images and videos circulating on social media depict extensive destruction in the town of Juhor al-Dik, Gaza. The area has witnessed some of the most intense Israeli bombardment, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people. After more than 50 days of continuous Israeli bombardment, the toll of Palestinians in the enclave stands at close to 15,000 killed and over 30,000 wounded.
