Extended ceasefire - hopes for release of hostages
The ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and the Islamist Hamas has been extended. This was announced by the Israeli military in the morning just before the deadline expired.
This could allow more hostages abducted in the Gaza Strip to be released and more humanitarian aid to reach the sealed-off coastal area on the Mediterranean. "In light of the mediators' efforts to continue the hostage release process and subject to the terms of the agreement, the operational pause will continue," the Israeli army announced on Telegram.
The ceasefire had been in place since 0600 CET last Friday. Since then, around 100 hostages abducted by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip have been exchanged for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Among the released hostages are 14 Germans. The ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas was recently extended by two days. According to the original agreement, the pause could be extended to a maximum of ten days.
Another 16 hostages released on Wednesday
The terrorist organization released a further 16 hostages on Wednesday. As in the previous days, ten of them were Israelis, the Israeli army announced on Wednesday. Among them are three Germans, confirmed Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens). In return, Israel released a further group of 30 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, as the Israeli prison authorities announced that night.
The Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, committed by terrorists from the Gaza Strip on October 7 in Israel near the border. More than 1200 people were killed. Around 240 hostages were taken to Gaza, including several Germans. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a blockade of the Gaza Strip. At the end of October, its armed forces began a ground offensive. According to Hamas, almost 15,000 people were killed and more than 36,000 injured. The figures cannot currently be independently verified.
The extension of the ceasefire in the Gaza war might offer an opportunity for more hostages, including the recently freed 14 Germans led by Annalena Baerbock, to avoid being caught in future conflicts between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. The terrorist organization, Hamas, has released an additional 16 hostages, among them three Germans, as part of the ongoing hostage release process.
Source: www.dpa.com
