Egyptian, Qatari, and US negotiators are nearing an agreement to extend the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, according to Egyptian security sources cited by Reuters. The current truce is set to end tonight at midnight local time.
Hamas has informed mediators that they are willing to extend the truce by “two to four days,” as reported by the AFP news agency.
Israel has previously stated that it would extend the ceasefire by one day for every ten additional hostages released. Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy stated on Monday that the “option for extension is open.” Levy further emphasized the desire to bring all hostages home, stating, “We want to receive another additional 50 hostages beyond tonight, on our way to bringing everyone home.”
However, Levy also made it clear that the military campaign against Hamas would resume immediately after the truce ends.
Amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, UN rights experts have called for an independent investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both parties. In a joint statement, Morris Tidball-Binz, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, and Alice Jill Edwards, the special rapporteur on torture, stressed the need for independent investigators to have the necessary resources, support, and access to conduct prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations.
The experts urged the international community to ensure that those responsible for serious human rights violations, especially those with command responsibility, are promptly brought to justice. They emphasized that perpetrators could be charged by courts in any country, as war crimes and crimes against humanity fall under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
Israel has previously denied committing war crimes during its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Similarly, Hamas has denied targeting civilians during its attacks on Israel on October 7.
Several international leaders, including Qatar, Egypt, the United States, the European Union, and Spain, are working towards extending the four-day ceasefire. Palestinian Authority’s foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, stated that these countries are collaborating to extend the ceasefire, as reported by Reuters.
Speaking at the same event, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell expressed his hope for the truce to last “a few more days” to provide much-needed relief to the people of Gaza and facilitate the release of more hostages.
US President Joe Biden also expressed his goal of extending the pause to allow for the release of more hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
During the current truce, 58 hostages being held in Gaza have been freed, and 117 Palestinian prisoners have been released since Friday.
Israel and Hamas have both signaled their willingness to extend the truce beyond midnight, but no concrete announcement has been made yet.
Qatar, the mediator of the original agreement, has expressed hopes for an extended truce beyond the initially agreed four days.
Additionally, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called for an extension of the pause, urging Iran to rein in its support for Israel-opposed militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The international community continues to emphasize the importance of extending the truce to allow for humanitarian relief and the safe release of hostages in Gaza.
As negotiations progress, it remains to be seen whether an extension to the truce will be achieved, providing a temporary respite from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Source: TimesKuwait
