Israel and Hamas extend truce as hostage talks continue

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a two-day extension of the “humanitarian truce,” according to Qatar , which announced the new agreement as the warring sides try to broker further hostage releases.

“The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al Ansari announced on social media.

The original four-day truce was set to lapse on Monday, but Israeli officials have been working to broker a fourth tranche of hostage releases. Israel has offered to continue the extensions if Hamas continues to release hostages, but international officials are already calling for a wider ceasefire.

"The dialogue that led to the agreement must continue, resulting in a full humanitarian ceasefire, for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel, and the wider region," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Monday. “The United Nations will continue to support these efforts in every possible way.”

Hamas seized about 240 hostages during the Oct. 7 rampage across southern Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. They agreed to release 50 of the hostages over the initial four-day truce in exchange for 150 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.