The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha announced that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been extended by two days. Qatar, together with Egypt and the US, is acting as a mediator in the peace negotiations.
“An agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip for an additional two days,” said Majid al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hamas, as Reuters writes, also confirmed this information. “An agreement was reached to extend the temporary humanitarian truce for another two days under the same conditions as the previous ceasefire,” Reuters reported, citing one Hamas official.
New hostage list
Hamas representative in Lebanon and member of the political bureau of this organization, Osama Hamdan, said in a statement that as part of the extended truce, a new list of hostages is being prepared who are to be released from the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Earlier on Monday, Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS), announced that the agreement on a two-day extension of the ceasefire would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for 60 Palestinian prisoners.
50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian convicts
The current truce started on Friday and is scheduled to end on Tuesday at 7 a.m. (6 a.m. Polish time). During this time, 50 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian convicts in Israeli prisons.
From Friday to Sunday, three rounds of hostage-prisoner exchanges took place. Hamas released a total of 39 Israelis or dual nationals, as well as 19 foreigners. 117 Palestinian women and teenagers released from Israeli prisons.
The Times of Israel website reported that Israel received a list of hostages who are to be released from the Gaza Strip on Monday, as part of the fourth round. According to Israeli media, there are 11 names on this list.
Main photo source: MOHAMMED SABER/PAP/EPA