With less than a day remaining before a potential escalation in the Gaza Strip, Hamas appeared to signal a willingness to prolong the ceasefire. A source close to the Palestinian faction told AFP that Hamas informed mediators it would extend the pause for four more days, a move that could involve the release of Israeli detainees alongside participation from other resistance groups. Israel, meanwhile, has engaged in intensive discussions with mediators from Qatar and Egypt and has not publicly commented on a second extension of the ceasefire for now. Since the initial truce began last Friday, 81 Israeli and foreign hostages have been freed from Gaza, and more than 180 Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli detention, according to the report .
Initially, the ceasefire outline envisioned a four-day window. During this period, operations included the entry of Israeli hostages by Palestinian prisoners, convoys carrying humanitarian aid, fuel, and cooking gas, as well as a pause in hostilities and bombardments in heavily affected areas. As talks continued, Israel and Hamas, with mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, agreed to extend the lull by an additional two days. If observed, this would mean a six-day calm, allowing families to reunite and some residents to return home with limited belongings. The world watched as the pause allowed a momentary halt to hostilities and a chance to gauge the full extent of the destruction caused by the Israeli military campaign .
Babies and shattered remnants
Local journalists report harrowing scenes from Gaza City, where survivors described the toll on civilians. At Al Naser Pediatric Hospital, authorities found the bodies of premature babies that had to be abandoned on 10 November after repeated threats of renewed Israeli fire. Several corpses were reportedly exposed to maggots before removal from the facility. The distressing images stirred strong emotions among Palestinians and drew international attention to the human cost of the conflict . These findings come amid a broader devastation in which rescue teams recovered numerous bodies from rubble after weeks of bombardment, underscoring the fragile state of civilian life in the enclave .
Palestinian civil defense units reported at least 160 bodies recovered from collapsed structures, a sobering tally in the wake of ongoing bombardments that have left hundreds of casualties during more than a month of attacks. Even with intermittent ceasefire talks and attempts at limited relief, residents of Gaza remain acutely aware that a renewed clash could erupt within hours or days, threatening still-vulnerable communities and complicating any evacuation or aid efforts .
The original framework allowed for a possible extension to a total of ten days, contingent on Hamas releasing a specified number of hostages each day and Israel transferring a corresponding number of security prisoners. Hamas has indicated it will use the extra time to locate captives held by other armed groups or civilians, though it has stated that it will not release soldiers or members of the Israel Defense Forces. The prospect of additional releases continues to shape negotiations, with families of hostages pressing Israeli authorities to maintain the ceasefire and seek broader humanitarian access .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leading a diverse and often fractious coalition, faces internal political pressure from nationalist and ultra-religious partners. Figures such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, have publicly linked ongoing security operations to political fortunes, arguing that halting the war would undermine the government. In public statements, Netanyahu has navigated the tension between maintaining security commitments and addressing domestic political pressures while attempting to secure a pathway to stability in the region .