Efforts to extend the current truce between Israel and Hamas are underway, with the potential for an extension contingent on the release of additional hostages. The truce, which has seen the release of hostages and prisoners on both sides, is in its final stages. The Palestinian militant group Hamas and its ally, Islamic Jihad, have released 81 hostages since the truce began, while Israel has released 180 Palestinians.
The United States has urged Israel to better protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza if the conflict resumes. The Biden administration has specifically stated that Israel must avoid significant further displacement of and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes its offensive. Israel, on the other hand, has vowed to resume the war to end Hamas' 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities once it's clear that no more hostages will be freed under the deal.
Negotiations in Doha, Qatar, are ongoing to extend the current pause in the Israel-Hamas war to allow for the release of more hostages from Gaza. The expectation is that if the truce goes well, Hamas could release an additional list of hostages, extending the pause for another 24 hours. The White House remains hopeful that some Americans may be released as part of the truce extension.
However, the situation remains tense. Two Palestinians died after Israeli military vehicles blocked the entrance of a hospital in Jenin, according to Doctors Without Borders. The IDF is preparing to resume its military campaign against Hamas when the truce ends. The extension of the truce depends on whether Hamas can release 10 additional Israeli hostages a day. The role of Qatar in mediating indirect talks between Hamas and Israel is also significant.
The political reactions to the conflict have been varied, with comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and internal pressure within Australia's Labor party to call for a full ceasefire. Thirty Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli prisons after 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals were freed from Gaza.