On the second day of the truce between Israel and the Palestinian factions of the Gaza Strip, while the Israeli authorities are expected to release 42 Palestinians against 14 Israelis, negotiations continue.
Al-Arabiya/Al-Hadath correspondent reported on Saturday the arrival of a Qatari delegation in Israel. He added that the delegation arrived to discuss extending the truce in exchange for the release of more detainees.
Palestinian official: We hope that the truce in Gaza turns into a permanent ceasefire
Positive indicators?!
In turn, informed Egyptian sources revealed that contacts are being made to extend the truce for a further day or two in order to release more Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Gaza.
He also stressed that Cairo has received “positive” signals from all parties, Cairo TV reported.
A four-day humanitarian truce, reached through Qatari-Egyptian mediation between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, came into force yesterday, Friday, to temporarily halt an approximately 50-day Israeli war in the Strip, in which nearly 15,000 people have been killed . and pave the way for the release of prisoners on both sides, as well as the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.
In the first phase of the agreement, Hamas promised to release 50 detainees, in exchange for a ceasefire and the release of three Palestinian prisoners for every prisoner released.
For every 10 prisoners
While Israel agreed, under the agreement, to add an extra day to the ceasefire for each additional batch of 10 captive women or children that are released, in addition to the original fifty agreed upon.
This means that the two sides can extend the ceasefire for a period of up to 9 or 10 days under the current agreement, especially since Hamas has around 240 prisoners, including 100 women and children, according to Israeli estimates.
Interestingly, Hamas released 13 Israeli detainees on Friday evening, as well as 10 Thais and one Filipino, and will release 13 more today.
While Israel has released 39 Palestinian detainees in its prisons, it will also release 42 today.