A total of 97 hostages released… If the ceasefire is not extended, fighting may resume on the 30th.
Israel’s war cabinet holds a meeting ahead of the end of the temporary ceasefire with Hamas. Attention is being paid to whether there will be progress in discussions regarding further extension of the ceasefire.
Israeli public broadcaster Channel 12 reported on the 29th (local time) that the war cabinet was holding a meeting regarding ways to extend the current suspension of hostilities. Israel stopped fighting with Hamas on the 24th to secure the release of hostages.
Hamas released a total of 97 hostages from the start of the temporary ceasefire to this day. The hostages, mainly Israeli women and children, included dual citizens and foreigners. In return, 210 Palestinian prisoners were released from Israel.
The temporary ceasefire was originally scheduled to end on the 28th, but was extended once. The expiration deadline for the extended ceasefire is the morning of the 30th (the afternoon of the 30th, Korean time). Neighboring countries and the international community are calling for an extension of the ceasefire to release additional hostages.
Israel’s position was that even if the ceasefire was extended, the maximum period was 10 days. In addition, Israel announced that it would limit the number of Palestinian prisoners exchanged for hostages to 300 during the temporary ceasefire.
However, as neighboring countries such as Qatar and Egypt, which played a mediating role, as well as the United States, which is a blood ally, are supporting the extension of the ceasefire, discussions on this matter appear to be ongoing within the cabinet. However, opposition from far-right parties within the coalition government is expected.
With the attention of the international community focused on whether to extend the ceasefire, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken arrived in Israel on this day. In the United States, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Bill Burns has been involved in cease-fire negotiations with Mossad and others.
According to CNN, Secretary Blinken arrived in Israel on this day and said, “We want to extend the suspension of hostilities,” and said, “The most important thing is for the hostages to be released and meet with their families.”
Currently, there are predictions in each media that the ceasefire could be extended from an additional 24 hours to as long as the 2nd. If the ceasefire is extended, there is a possibility that the number of hostages eligible for release will expand from women and children to male hostages, including soldiers.
However, tensions that could become an obstacle to extending the ceasefire continue, such as claims that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed a Palestinian gunman in the Gaza Strip on this day. If there is no further extension of the ceasefire, there is a possibility that fighting will resume from the morning of the 30th (the afternoon of the 30th, Korean time).
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.