Israel-Hamas truce to continue amid efforts to secure more hostage releases

The ceasefire in Gaza will continue until a deal is reached to free more hostages, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on X on Thursday. The statement came minutes before the truce was supposed to end at 7 am (local time).

In a post, Israel Defence Forces wrote on X: "In light of the mediators' efforts to continue the process of releasing the abductees and subject to the terms of the agreement, the ceasefire will continue."

There had been pressure to extend the pause to allow more hostage releases and additional aid into devastated Gaza, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arriving in Israel for talks Wednesday night.

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The war that started on October 7 when Hamas terrorists surged into Israel via the border killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and kidnapped approximately 240 more, according to Israeli police, has temporarily stopped as a result of the truce.

According to Hamas authorities, Israel's ensuing air and military campaign in Gaza has killed up to 15,000 people, the majority of whom were civilians, and destroyed a significant portion of the northern region.

Overnight, 10 more Israeli hostages were freed under the terms of the deal, with another four Thai hostages and two Israeli-Russian women released outside the framework of the arrangement. 

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Video released by Hamas showed masked gunmen handing hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross.  Since the truce began on November 24, 70 Israeli hostages have been freed in return for 210 Palestinian prisoners.  Around 30 foreigners, most of them Thais living in Israel, have been freed outside the terms of the deal.

• Israel
• Hamas
• Gaza strip