Watan-Qatar announced that the Palestinian and Israeli sides have agreed to extend the ceasefire for an additional day, marking its seventh consecutive day.
Dr. Majid bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, the official spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in a press release that both the Palestinian and Israeli sides reached an agreement to extend the humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for an additional day (Thursday).
He added that the extension of the ceasefire would be under the same previous conditions, which include a cessation of hostilities and the entry of humanitarian aid. This is within the framework of Qatar’s mediation alongside Egypt and the United States.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson affirmed the continued intensification of efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The announcement of the extension of the humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza came just minutes before its scheduled expiration, specifically at 7 a.m. local time.
In response, the Hamas movement stated briefly: “An agreement has been reached to extend the ceasefire for a seventh day, which is Thursday.”
Al-Qassam Brigades Call on Fighters to Heighten Readiness
The military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas,” known as the Al-Qassam Brigades, has instructed its fighters to maintain a high state of combat readiness in the final hours of the ceasefire, anticipating a potential renewal of hostilities unless an official statement confirming an extension is issued.
Occupation Refuses to Receive Bodies Resulting from Its Shelling
Before the announcement of the ceasefire extension, clear tensions arose, as Hamas stated that the occupation forces rejected the release of seven detainees, including women and children, and the bodies of three individuals from the same category who were killed due to Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. This development occurred despite the temporary extension of the humanitarian ceasefire on Thursday, following the same conditions observed over the past six days.
Hamas emphasized that the mentioned individuals constitute the entirety of those the movement was aware of in the agreed-upon category.
Challenging Negotiations for Ceasefire Extension
Israeli officials confirmed that Hamas proposed, through intermediaries, the release of fewer than ten prisoners or prisoners who are not women or children as a condition for extending the ceasefire. It’s noteworthy that Israel seeks an agreement encompassing both civilians and military personnel held by Hamas in Gaza.
Before announcing the ceasefire extension, officials indicated that if Hamas did not provide a list containing ten women and children by 7 a.m. local time, hostilities would resume.
An Israeli source told Channel 12 that if Hamas’s proposal for releasing the next group of Israeli prisoners does not change, Israel will resume fighting.