Headline: Netanyahu Welcomes Additional Hostage Releases as Israel-Hamas Cease-fire Continues
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the additional release of hostages as Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their pause in fighting for two more days. The cease-fire comes as the United States military takes steps to facilitate relief flights into Egypt to deliver essential supplies to Gaza.
The U.S. military will conduct the first of three relief flights into Egypt on Tuesday, bringing food, water, medicine, and winter items to Gaza. The aid deliveries, confirmed by senior U.S. officials, come amid a two-day extension of the truce between Israel and Hamas. The United Nations will ensure that the aid reaches civilians in need in Gaza.
Since October 21, more than 2,000 trucks of humanitarian aid have entered Gaza, with an additional 800 trucks arriving in the past few days while fighting was temporarily halted as part of negotiations for the release of hostages held in Gaza.
In a statement last month, President Joe Biden announced $100 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza following the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas. The military’s relief flights into Egypt supplement the five commercial flights that have already delivered humanitarian aid to the region.
So far, eleven hostages have been freed from Gaza, with more releases scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Israel has also released 33 Palestinian prisoners. The truce also saw the release of almost 70 women and child hostages, with additional releases planned in the coming days.
Amid these developments, the CIA Director and the head of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, are meeting with officials from Qatar and Egypt to discuss expanding the temporary cease-fire to facilitate more hostage releases. The talks also include efforts to secure the release of American hostages believed to be held by Hamas.
Despite the temporary pause in fighting, the situation remains tense, with militants detonating explosive devices near Israeli troops in violation of the cease-fire. Israeli officials have called for a stronger response to such violations, while Hamas’ military wing has urged mediators to pressure Israel into upholding the terms of the truce.
The World Health Organization has also warned of the risk of infectious disease outbreaks in Gaza due to overcrowding and disruptions to health, water, and sanitation systems. The organization has called for an extended cease-fire and sustained access for humanitarian aid into Gaza to avert a humanitarian crisis.
As the conflict continues, U.S. officials have emphasized the need for Israel to operate with greater precision to avoid large-scale civilian casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will restart its military campaign in Gaza to crush Hamas, even as concerns grow about the impact of the conflict on Palestinian civilians.
The complex situation in Gaza and the ongoing negotiations for the release of hostages underscores the fragile nature of the current cease-fire and the challenges in achieving a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Contributing to the article: The Associated Press