Israel, Hamas agree to extend truce for two days

Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend a truce in Gaza for two days as hostages and prisoners are set to be exchanged for a fourth day Monday.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the agreement was reached for two additional days but did not share any other immediate details. The White House also confirmed the extended truce, which will see the release of more hostages.

Israel and Hamas have paused deadly fighting in Gaza since Friday, when the first group of prisoners and hostages were released and a greater flow of humanitarian aid began entering the coastal strip.

Israel and Hamas have kept their word, releasing three rounds of hostages and prisoners over the course of three days.

Another round of prisoner and hostage exchanges is expected later Monday, and the agreement to extend the truce indicates more could be released in the coming days.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the extended truce is expected to pave the way for the release of 20 more hostages, who will be women and children. He also said the negotiating parties would continue to work to extend the truce again but the U.S. was focused on a “piece at a time.”

“We want to see all the hostages out, and this is the best way to get them out,” Kirby told reporters. “We won’t breathe a sigh of relief until we know we’ve got today’s hostages out.”

Kirby said somewhere around eight American hostages are being held by Hamas inside of Gaza. At least one American citizen was released in the exchanges so far, a 4-year-old girl. 

Kirby also emphasized the truce has allowed a “surge” of humanitarian aid into besieged Gaza, with around 200 trucks a day delivering fuel, food and water.

“We’re going to take advantage of every hour of every day that there’s a pause to try to help the people of Gaza,” he said.

Hamas took some 240 hostages when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and was expected to release a total of 50 at the end of the four-day truce, but has actually let 58 hostages go, according to officials reporting on the releases.

Israel has agreed to release 150 Palestinian prisoners in total.

Somewhere between 180 and 190 hostages are still inside the Gaza Strip.

Updated at 12:55 p.m.