Extended truce between Israel and Hamas comes into effect
A truce between Israel and Hamas will be extended by two days, mediator Qatar said hours before the pause was due to end Tuesday, as more hostages were freed from Gaza in exchange for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners.
"The Palestinian and Israeli sides have reached an agreement to extend the humanitarian pause in Gaza for two additional days under the same conditions," Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
Militant group Hamas also confirmed the extension, though there was no official word from Israel.
The extension came as 11 more hostages were freed from Gaza, along with the release of another 33 Palestinian prisoners -- the last exchange under the existing deal.
The extension of the truce was welcomed internationally, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calling it "a glimpse of hope and humanity in the middle of the darkness of war".
The truce has paused fighting that began when Hamas militants poured over the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping dozens, according to Israeli officials.
Israel's retaliatory ground and air operation in Gaza has killed almost 15,000 people, mostly civilians, according to the territory's Hamas government.
Late Monday, 11 hostages arrived in Israel, the country's military said.
"Our forces will accompany them until they are reunited with their families," it said in a statement, adding that the military "salutes and embraces the released hostages upon their return home".
Most of the group are dual nationals, with Argentinians, Germans and French among those released, and all 11 were from the Nir Oz kibbutz, the community said.
The releases brought "a sigh of relief to our community, however we remain deeply concerned about our loved ones that are still held hostage," kibbutz official Osnat Peri said.
Images released by the Israeli military showed French-Israeli child Eitan Yahalomi reunited with his mother, who gripped him tightly to her.
Shortly after the arrival of the hostages was confirmed, Israel's prison authority said 33 Palestinian inmates had been released.
In east Jerusalem, prisoner Muhammad Abu Al-Humus called his release "an indescribable joy" and kissed his mother's hand as he entered his home, while crowds in the West Bank town of Beitunia waved green Hamas flags to greet those arriving on a coach.
But nearby there were also clashes with Israeli troops by Ofer prison, with Palestinians burning tyres and throwing stones. The Palestinian health ministry said one person was killed.
- 'Unbearable suffering' -
In all, 50 Israeli hostages have been released under the truce deal, in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, with another 19 hostages freed under separate agreements, including Thai workers and a dual Russian-Israeli citizen.
Hamas said it was now drawing up lists of additional hostages to be released, though the process is reportedly complicated by the fact that some are held by other militant groups.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that "in order to extend the pause, Hamas has committed to releasing another 20 women and children".
Israel views the truce as temporary to secure hostage releases and plans to continue its war, with the government agreeing a 30.3 billion shekel ($8.2 billion) war budget that will now go to parliament.
But it faces increasing pressure for a more lasting ceasefire and the ramp-up of humanitarian aid to Gaza, where an estimated 1.7 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.
This week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will pay his third wartime visit to the Middle East, meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.
"The secretary will stress the need to sustain the increased flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and improve protection to civilians in Gaza," a senior US official said.
He will discuss "the principles he laid out for the future of Gaza and the need to establish an independent Palestinian state," the official added.
- 'Catastrophic' -
Inside Gaza, the Hamas-run health ministry said no fuel had arrived for generators at hospitals in the territory's north, despite the truce.
And UN official Tor Wennesland warned the humanitarian situation "remains catastrophic."
It "requires the urgent entry of additional aid and supplies in a smooth, predictable, and continuous manner to alleviate the unbearable suffering of Palestinians in Gaza," the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process said.
The truce has allowed residents who fled fighting in northern Gaza to return to Gaza City, which has been ravaged by relentless Israeli bombardment.
People walked or bicycled along debris-lined streets, where the cars were flattened and buildings torn apart.
Gaza City Mayor Yahya al-Siraj said that without fuel, the territory could not pump clean water or clear waste accumulating in the streets, warning of a potential public health "catastrophe".
The fighting has left many with devastating injuries, which doctors in Gaza have struggled to treat because of limited supplies.
Clean-up was under way at Gaza's largest hospital, Al-Shifa, which Israel targeted saying it was used as a command centre by Hamas.
"We hope it can soon resume its activities," said Gaza health ministry spokesman Mahmud Hammad.
A limited number of Palestinians have been airlifted to the United Arab Emirates for treatment after crossing from Gaza to Egypt, including seven-year-old Yussef, who gnawed on his nails next to his mother Nouzha Fawzi.
"He was not like that before," she said of Yussef, who suffers the blood disorder hemophilia.
"Since the war, he no longer speaks much. He is afraid of everything," she added. "He asks me if he will die."
- Fourth hostage-prisoner exchange -
The Israeli military said Monday that 11 hostages held in Gaza following Hamas's October 7 attacks were on their way to Israel, on the last day of an initial four-day pause in the fighting.
"Based on information that was received from the Red Cross, 11 hostages are currently on their way to Israeli territory," the military said in a statement.
Qatar said French, German, and Argentinian nationals were among the 11 hostages set to be freed, bringing the total number of Israeli captives released during the truce to 50.
According to Qatar, Israel has agreed to release 33 Palestinian prisoners on Monday -- three women and 30 minors -- adding to 117 prisoners released in the first three days of the agreement.
A further 19 foreign nationals, mostly Thais, have been released from Gaza under separate arrangements.
- Two-day truce extension -
The initial four-day agreement was scheduled to end at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) on Tuesday but has been extended by another 48 hours.
"The State of Qatar announces that, 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," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on X, formerly Twitter.
Hamas confirmed agreement on the two-day extension and associated hostage and prisoner releases.
"Hamas announced that an agreement has been reached with the brothers in Qatar and Egypt for an extension of the temporary humanitarian pause for an additional two days, with the same conditions as the previous truce," the Palestinian Islamist movement said in a statement.
Facing pressure from the families of hostages, as well as allies, Israel had also signalled its willingness to extend the truce and secure more releases.
Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy told reporters on Monday that the government wants "to receive another additional 50 hostages beyond tonight on our way to bringing everyone home".
- US hopes even longer pause -
The White House welcomed an agreement Monday to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas by two days, and expressed hope the humanitarian pause would continue for longer still.
"Of course we welcome the announcement," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. "We would of course hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages."
- UN chief hails 'glimpse of hope' -
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hailed the two-day truce extension.
"It's a glimpse of hope and humanity in the middle of the darkness of war and I strongly hope that these will enable us to increase even more the humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza that is suffering so much," Guterres said.
- Detained Gazans -
Palestinian authorities have demanded the Israeli military release information about more than 100 people thought to have been detained in Gaza during its operations in the territory following the Hamas attacks.
The head of the Palestinian Authority's commission for prisoners, Qaddura Fares, said on Sunday that Israeli officials had told him at one point their side had made 105 arrests.
But he said Israel had not announced the number publicly and there was "no detail about what has become of these people".
"We fear they may have been killed after being detained and interrogated," Fares told AFP.
The Israeli military told AFP on Monday that it could not comment on the issue at this stage.
Blinken to return to Israel, West Bank
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will pay his third wartime visit to the Middle East this week, a US official said Monday, just as mediators announced an extension of a truce in Gaza.
Blinken will also head this week to Dubai to represent the United States at the COP28 climate summit, which President Joe Biden is skipping after two previous years of attending to highlight US leadership.
A senior US official, speaking as Blinken arrived in Brussels for NATO meetings, said the top US diplomat would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.
"In his meetings in the Middle East, the secretary will stress the need to sustain the increased flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and improve protection to civilians in Gaza," the official said.
"The secretary will discuss with partners in the region the principles he laid out for the future of Gaza and the need to establish an independent Palestinian state," the official said.
The trip comes as mediator Qatar announced a 48-hour extension of a truce between Israel and Hamas, opening the way for further releases of hostages and the arrival of humanitarian aid into the war-battered Gaza Strip.
There was no immediate confirmation from Israel, which has vowed to keep up the fight to destroy Hamas.
The United States has been pressing Israel to work with the Palestinian Authority and rein in settlers who have attacked Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, but Netanyahu has been a long-time critic of Abbas and of a two-state solution.
- Focus on Ukraine, climate -
Blinken and Biden have vowed support for Israel after Hamas militants stormed into the US ally on October 7 and killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel's deadliest-ever attack.
But US officials have also voiced increasing concern about the Israeli reprisals' toll on civilians, which have galvanised public opinion in much of the world.
The bombing and ground campaign has left almost 15,000 people dead, mostly Palestinian civilians, according to Gaza's Hamas government.
Blinken will head Friday to COP28 in Dubai, which opens on Thursday in the largest-yet UN-led summit on climate change.
Biden has attended the last two annual summits, in Scotland and Egypt, in hopes of showing that the United States has turned the page from his climate sceptic predecessor Donald Trump, who is seeking the White House again.
The Biden administration has pushed through billions of dollars of investment in the green economy, including electric cars.
Another US official earlier said that Biden would not attend COP28, whose attendees include Pope Francis. Officials did not give a reason. Biden has been consumed by the Middle East but is seeking to focus on his domestic agenda with less than a year to go before the presidential election.
Blinken will also seek to rally support for Ukraine in talks with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels and then at a meeting in North Macedonia of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
"We anticipate that he'll engage in a good discussion with our OSCE colleagues about support for Ukraine," said James O'Brien, the top US diplomat for Europe.
- Crossing paths with Lavrov? -
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday that North Macedonia, which has joined Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, has agreed to let him attend the annual meeting of the pan-European security body in which Russia is a member.
Russian state media said that EU member Bulgaria has informed Moscow it would allow Lavrov's plane to cross its airspace.
But Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there would not be a meeting with Blinken.
"No, (they) haven't asked, (they) won't ask and there won't be a meeting” he told Russian state news agencies."
Last year, OSCE host Poland refused to let Lavrov attend, sparking an angry response from Russia.
US officials have cut most top-level contact with Russia since the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although Blinken briefly met Lavrov in March on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in India.