Qatar announces 2-day extension of Israel-Hamas truce, bringing happiness as released hostages and Palestinian prisoners reunite.
Qatar announced on Monday that the temporary halt in hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, originally set to last four days, will be prolonged by an additional two days.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari announced on social media that, as a result of ongoing mediation, a decision has been made to prolong the humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by two more days.
The White House’s National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, announced on Monday during a news conference that the cease-fire has been extended for two more days. Kirby also stated that Hamas has committed to releasing 20 more hostages during this time period. He also mentioned that efforts are being made to prolong the cease-fire even further.
Over the weekend, a group of people returned home, including the first American to be released by Hamas in Gaza.
Abigail Mor Edan, a 4-year-old child
A separate set of captives was anticipated to be freed on Monday, in addition to another batch of Palestinian detainees being held by Israel.
The temporary break in hostilities was initially set to conclude at 7 a.m. on Tuesday in the local time zone, which is midnight in the Eastern time zone. However, Israel had expressed willingness to prolong the ceasefire by one day for every 10 hostages released by Hamas. A spokesperson for Hamas also stated on Monday that they were seeking to extend the truce.
Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty
The announcement will be a positive update for many Israeli households who are still hoping to reunite with their family members following Hamas’ violent terrorist attack on October 7th in southern Israel.
23 suspects who were arrested in connection with the recent rocket attacks
According to Israeli media, Hamas has given authorities a roster of 23 individuals who were detained for their involvement in the recent missile strikes.
The planned release of 11 hostages was scheduled for Monday.
The organization, previously labeled a terrorist group by the U.S., Israel, and other countries, began releasing hostages on Friday, primarily women, children, and elderly individuals. The last group of hostages returned to Israeli officials consisted of 17 individuals, released on Sunday, including 13 Israelis and four foreigners.
Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old with dual citizenship in the U.S. and Israel, was one of the individuals who were held captive. She is currently in the hospital, where she has been for over 50 days, including her fourth birthday on Friday.
Abigail’s mother and father were fatally injured in the Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault, during which armed individuals invaded her family’s modest agricultural settlement. Despite escaping to a nearby residence, Abigail was subsequently abducted.
According to CBS News, Batia Holin, a resident who lives near Abigail’s family, stated that her granddaughter and Abigail were extremely close friends.
On Monday, Holin stated that it is uncertain if she is aware that her parents are no longer present.
The temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, which was established early on Friday, has remained in place. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians were assessing the damage caused by the continuous airstrikes and ground attacks carried out by the Israeli military.
Israel has fulfilled its part of the agreement by freeing a total of 117 Palestinian inmates, including numerous adolescents. The release prompted festivities in the West Bank as the newly freed prisoners were welcomed back home, with some individuals displaying the green banner of Hamas.
FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty
In Israel, nine-year-old Emily Hand
The child hostage who was believed to be dead was one of the hostages reunited with their parents during the weekend.
Ohad Munder felt overjoyed when he saw his enthusiastic father waiting to welcome him, making for a heartwarming reunion.
On Saturday, Shira Havron’s family was reunited with six of its members, which included her aunt and three cousins.
She shared with CBS News that there aren’t enough words to describe this feeling, and described it as a “truly heartwarming and overwhelming moment… It was like a miracle.”
85-year-old Yaffa Adar was one of the initial captives to be freed on Friday evening. She was spotted being publicly displayed in Gaza, riding on a golf cart that had been taken from her kibbutz.
Yifat Zailer, like the rest of Israel, was captivated by the televised hostage releases over the weekend. She proudly declared that Jewish grandmas are known for their strength and resilience, despite being the subject of many jokes. However, for Yifat and others, there were conflicting feelings surrounding the events.
She expressed envy to CBS News.
Zailer’s cousin Shiri, along with her two children Ariel (4 years old) and Kfir (10 months old), were abducted by Hamas members from Kibbutz Nir Oz. As of Monday, Zailer was still awaiting their release.
She expressed her distress about the gradual release of hostages without any prior indication of who will be next. She did not have high hopes for her youngest child’s return in the near future.
Zailer informed CBS News that it is clear they intend to keep the baby until the end.
She stated that the small, redheaded infants have become a significant representation, and Hamas is aware of this. They can demand a higher price, or whatever they desire. They are aware of our strong desire to have the baby returned to us.
More
More
Source: cbsnews.com