Gaza Border [Israel]: Just moments before the scheduled expiration of the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas at 7 am local time on Thursday, the Israeli military officially announced a one-day extension, CNN reported.
This extension comes as negotiations for additional hostage releases continue. Both Hamas and Qatar have confirmed the prolongation of the truce.
Leading up to the deadline, negotiators, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, engaged in discussions in Qatar about the potential extension.
However, as the truce was about to expire, Hamas reported an impasse in negotiations, alleging that Israel rejected an offer to extend the truce in exchange for the release of seven detained women and children, as well as the bodies of three deceased individuals--allegedly killed by Israeli bombardment, as reported by CNN.
In anticipation of the truce deadline, Hamas instructed its military wing to be prepared for combat, while Israel's military had previously stated its readiness for the next stage of the conflict.
Qatar, playing a pivotal role in mediating the truce negotiations, confirmed the extension in a statement released on Thursday.
"The Palestinian and Israeli sides had reached an agreement to extend the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip for an additional day," Qatar's foreign ministry said in its statement.
The Ministry added that negotiations continue in hopes of reaching a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Israel will extend the truce for each day that Hamas continues to release 10 "living" hostages, a senior Israeli official reiterated Thursday.
Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told CNN Israel's position on any extension of the humanitarian pause in fighting is "crystal clear."
"Every day, we agreed to an extension for the release of 10 hostages, 10 living hostages," Regev said, adding, "If Hamas continues to release hostages, 10 a day, we will extend the hold -- the pause."
When asked if the fighting would resume within the next 24 hours, Regev said, "If Hamas fails to meet the conditions of the extension, which is to release 10 Israelis, then of course the fighting can be resumed."
He also said that there are still at least 140 hostages inside Gaza. Israel accepted the current agreement of a humanitarian pause "to get our hostages out, that could be extended each day for a day," he added.
Replying to a query on negotiations on any further agreements, Regev said, "This is a humanitarian pause in our fight against Hamas, Israel is determined to destroy Hamas' military machine and its rule over Gaza."
"We are not going to play games with the lives of our people," Regev said, adding, "Hamas knows what the parameters of the deal are."
On Thursday, Israel received a new list of women and children hostages for release from Hamas, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.
"A short while ago, Israel received a list of women and children, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the pause will resume," the statement said.
The office stated that the families of hostages on the list had been informed.
Earlier on Thursday, Hamas reported that Israel turned down an offer involving the release of seven detained women and children, as well as the bodies of three individuals they claim were killed by Israeli bombardment.
Both Israel and Hamas confirmed the extension of the truce for another day as negotiations for additional hostage releases continued. This announcement occurred just minutes before the truce was set to expire, CNN reported.
—ANI