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On Thursday, Israel announced plans to send a delegation to Cairo for negotiations aimed at extending a ceasefire set to expire in two days. This move appears to be focused on securing the release of more hostages while postponing discussions regarding the long-term future of Gaza.
The announcement followed Hamas’s return of four bodies of hostages, marking the conclusion of the initial six-week ceasefire that began on January 19. Currently, discussions about a second phase, which would ideally lead to a comprehensive resolution of the ongoing conflict, have yet to commence.
During a press conference in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that the delegation’s objective was to explore the possibility of extending the truce. He emphasized Israel’s willingness to prolong the ceasefire in exchange for additional hostage releases, noting, “We said we are ready to make the framework longer in return to release more hostages. If it is possible, we’ll do that.”
According to two government officials cited by Reuters, Israel is advocating for an extension of the initial ceasefire phase, wherein Hamas would release three hostages weekly in return for the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
The details surrounding the potential outcomes after Saturday remain unclear if no agreement is reached regarding the ceasefire extension. Currently, Egypt and Qatar are mediating discussions between Israel and Hamas, with support from the United States.
Concerns Over Hostage Survival
Initial plans for discussions related to the second phase, which are supposed to secure the release of the remaining hostages along with the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, were slated to begin earlier this month.
The Israeli government is facing mounting public pressure to maintain the ceasefire in order to facilitate the release of remaining hostages. However, some factions within the right-leaning government are pushing for a return to military action to achieve the objective of dismantling Hamas.
Israeli authorities reported that three of the four hostages returned deceased had been murdered while in captivity. The fourth was killed during the initial raid by Hamas that sparked the war.
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Israeli and Hamas representatives noted that recent tensions over the exchange of prisoners and hostages have been alleviated through Egyptian mediation. This resolution coincided with the funeral of the Bibas family, whose bodies were returned last week.
The critical condition of the recently released hostages, some of whom appeared severely malnourished and others reported to be murdered, has significantly fueled public outrage in Israel, which could affect the discussions aimed at extending the ceasefire.
Hamas expressed its readiness to initiate talks regarding the second phase, asserting that the only pathway to releasing the remaining hostages in Gaza is through a commitment to maintain the ceasefire.
Israeli officials estimate that less than half of the 59 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
Israeli Troop Deployments in Key Areas
Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen conveyed via public broadcaster Kan that Israel demands its military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic area along the southern border of Gaza with Egypt.
As the current ceasefire phase approaches its end on Saturday, Israeli troops are expected to begin their withdrawal from the Gaza-Egypt border region. However, Cohen suggested that Israel currently holds a more advantageous position in negotiations following substantial support from the U.S. administration, which has recently commenced shipping heavy munitions.
The final transfer involving four hostages’ bodies in this first phase occurred in exchange for 643 Palestinians detained by Israeli forces or imprisoned in Israeli facilities. Notably, the transfer was executed discreetly without public displays of the coffins to avoid inflaming tensions in Israel.
President Isaac Herzog confirmed via social media that the deceased hostages were Tsachi Idan, Itzhak Elgarat, Ohad Yahalomi, and Shlomo Mantzur, all of whom were abducted during the October 7, 2023, attack that affected their kibbutz communities near Gaza.
During the initial raid, Hamas reportedly captured 251 hostages and resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities among Israelis. Since then, about half of these hostages were released during prior truces, while others have been rescued or recovered deceased during the course of the conflict.
Reports indicate that over 48,000 Palestinians have lost their lives amid Israel’s military actions in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials. The ongoing war has devastated the densely populated area and created a significant humanitarian crisis, displacing much of its population multiple times.
In a separate incident in northern Israel, local police reported a suspected militant attack involving a driver who allegedly rammed his vehicle into a group of people waiting at a bus stop, resulting in injuries to at least eight individuals, two of whom are reported to be in serious condition. Authorities indicated that the suspect was a 53-year-old Palestinian from the northern West Bank, residing in Israel and married to an Israeli citizen.
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