The temporary ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza has been extended by one more day till Friday, buying critical time for hostage negotiations.
The truce, originally meant to end Thursday night after a week, was prolonged by both sides just 10 minutes before expiry as Egypt and Qatar mediated talks.
This followed the successful sixth round of hostage exchanges on Thursday under the framework deal. So far, Israel has released 58 prisoners while Hamas freed 41 Israelis, including 2 soldiers held for nearly 40 years.
In its statement, Israel Defense Forces said the extra 24 hours would facilitate further hostage releases by mediators. Hamas also confirmed the extension under existing humanitarian access terms.
The fragile truce has witnessed over a dozen breaches by both sides but managed to hold on. Secure pauses enable aid access into Israeli-blockaded Gaza after months of bombardment.
However, the tiny stretches focused on limited goals reflect the long road ahead for sustainable de-escalation and political solutions to deep conflicts.
For now, the immediate priority remains to free all civilians held by Hamas to rebuild confidence before winter freezes conflict lines. Every additional day without rockets or airstrikes comes as a relief.
With critics accusing hardliners in Israel’s ruling coalition of stonewalling concessions, the coming weeks hang on a delicate balance as talks inch forward.
