THE truce between Israel and Hamas has been extended by two days, Qatar has announced.
Hamas has also confirmed the truce extension, but Israel has not made a statement yet.
The truce between Israel and Hamas will last for to more days, Qatar has confirmedRex
Qatar, along with Egypt, has been the key mediator in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip,” Dr Majed al Ansari said.
A Hamas statement read: “The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas announces that it has been agreed with the brothers in Qatar and Egypt to extend the temporary humanitarian truce for an additional two days under the same conditions as the previous truce.”
The announcement comes on the final day of a four-day truce between the warring sides, as they were preparing for a fourth exchange of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 more hostages 14 Israelis and three Thais in a third exchange under the four-day truce.
In turn, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners.
Of the roughly 240 hostages captured by Hamas in its October 7 massacre in southern Israel that ignited the war, 62 have been released, one was freed by Israeli forces and two were found dead inside Gaza.
Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released.
Hamas has also said it hopes to extend the truce.
It comes after the terror group claimed it does not know where dozens of child hostages are being held in Gaza.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani who is leading talks told the Financial Times: “If they [Hamas] get additional women and children, there will be an extension.
“We don’t yet have any clear information how many they can find because … one of the purposes [of the pause in fighting] is they [Hamas] will have time to search for the rest of the missing people.”
The claim was eyed with suspicion amid fears Hamas chiefs will use the ceasefire to regroup for more bloodshed.
The terror group also claimed again it did not kidnap any civilians – even though its members filmed themselves snatching defenceless hostages and dragging them back to Gaza during the massacre.
About 240 hostages, including Israeli soldiers and sick and elderly civilians, are understood to have taken hostage by the terror group and held in underground tunnels.
Last week Qatar brokered a deal to free 50 Israeli women and children in exchange for 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons over the course of a four-day ceasefire.
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