As the latest group of hostages, predominantly Israeli women and children, gained freedom on Sunday, calls for an extension of the truce intensified, seeking to maintain the relief and allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
US President Joe Biden expressed his goal to prolong the pause, stating, "That's our goal, to keep this pause going beyond tomorrow so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza."
Biden said he wished the conflict could be stopped "as long as prisoners keep coming out," which reflect his collective regional effort to end the conflict and ensure the release of all hostage and ultimately diminishing Hamas's control in Gaza.
Hamas, through a source, conveyed its openness to extending the truce by "two to four days," which can be a potential opportunity for continued negotiations.
“The resistance believes it is possible to ensure the release of 20 to 40 Israeli prisoners” in that time, the source close to the movement said.
Hamas has released 39 Israeli hostages and Israel has freed 117 Palestinian prisoners in exchange under the terms of the agreement. A further 19 foreign nationals have also been released from Gaza under separate arrangements.
Under the truce, 50 hostages held by the militants were to be freed over four days in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. A built-in mechanism extends the truce if at least 10 Israeli captives are released each extra day.
Some hostages are believed to be held by militant groups other than Hamas, potentially complicating future releases.
Israel faces pressure from the families of hostages, as well as allies, to extend the truce to secure more releases.
“It would be good, helpful and necessary” to extend the truce until all hostages, who include French nationals, are freed, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told BFMTV on Sunday.
