DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners Tuesday on the fifth day of its temporary ceasefire with Hamas.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners Tuesday on the fifth day of its temporary ceasefire with Hamas.
Earlier Tuesday, Hamas released 12 hostages the group had been holding captive since Oct. 7.
The exchange is part of an ongoing cease-fire between the warring sides, and came as mediators met in Qatar to try to extend the cease-fire beyond Wednesday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas held for a fifth day Tuesday, as international mediators in Qatar worked to extend it and more hostages were freed from Gaza. Israel came under pressure from the United States to better protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza if it follows through on its promise to resume the war.
The latest swap of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel got underway Tuesday evening. Israel said 10 of its citizens and 2 foreigners were freed by Hamas and had entered Egypt.
Mediators met in Qatar to try to extend the cease-fire beyond Wednesday. For the first time since it began, Israel and Hamas traded accusations of a serious violation with an exchange of fire between troops and militants in northern Gaza.
But there was no indication that it would endanger the truce or the planned exchanges of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Israel has vowed to resume the war with “full force” to destroy Hamas once it’s clear that no more hostages will be freed under the deal.
The Biden administration has told Israel it must avoid “significant further displacement” and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes the offensive, and that it must operate with more precision in southern Gaza than it has in the north, according to U.S. officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House.
CIA director William Burns and David Barnea, who heads Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, were in Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, to discuss extending the cease-fire and releasing more hostages, a diplomat said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks. A U.S. official confirmed Burns was in Qatar, speaking anonymously because the director’s travel plans are not publicized for security reasons.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region this week, also with an eye to extending the truce.
Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 hostages out of the 240 seized in their Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war. Israel has said it is willing to extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages that Hamas releases, according to the deal brokered by the Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. But Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers.
Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities.
