Expires today at midnight the Israel-Hamas agreement, for a temporary ceasefire and the exchange of hostages with Palestinian prisoners.

Yesterday, during the third day of the ceasefire, a total of 17 hostages, 14 Israelis, including 9 children and four women and three Thais, were released by Hamas and handed over to the Israeli army. In return, 39 Palestinian prisoners were released soon after.

Among the hostages released by Hamas is a 4-year-old Israeli-American girl, who was kidnapped on October 7. The grandfather of 4-year-old Abigail Idan thanked the US president for the girl’s release from Hamas. The girl’s parents were killed in the Hamas attack on October 7. Her brother and sister escaped after hiding in a closet.

In the meantime, positive to extend the temporary truce if this would facilitate the release of another ten hostages a day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in a communication he had late last night with the American President, Joe Biden. Netanyahu made it clear, however, that “then the war will “continue with full force”.

The possibility of extending the temporary truce with Hamas was discussed Israel’s war cabinetwhich met last night. According to an Israeli official, the terms of the extension remain unchanged from the original agreement, meaning Hamas must release an additional 10 hostages for each additional day of ceasefire.

Willing to extend the ceasefire for two to four days, appears the Hamasaccording to a source close to the Palestinian armed organization.

Earlier yesterday, Sunday, in an interview, the US president stated that his administration’s goal is to extend the ceasefire in Gaza to continue the safe release of hostages and deliver critical aid to civilians.

The White House, for its part, announced that Biden and Netanyahu agreed “to continue working to secure the release of all hostages.”

A senior US official said efforts are being made to return hostages held in Gaza by groups other than Hamas. “We know that it is not just Hamas that is holding hostages. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another terrorist group involved in the October 7 attack, is also holding hostages, as well as other groups that are not directly connected
but they have links to Hamas they are also holding hostages,” he told NBC news White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. “Part of the effort is to ensure that all of these groups are somehow connected to an agreement in which every last potential hostage in Gaza who is still alive is surrendered and reunited with their family,” Jake Sullivan said.