More hostages freed as Israel, Hamas extend cease-fire for two more days

Israel and Hamas agreed Monday to extend their delicate cease-fire for two days, opening the possibility for more hostage releases by the Palestinian militant group and the prospect of a longer halt to the deadliest Israeli war in decades.

But even as the extension raised hopes for peace, fears continued to soar that a resumption of fighting could be imminent, with Israel issuing the ultimatum that it will adhere to the cease-fire only by one day for every 10 additional hostages Hamas releases.

Hamas confirmed it had agreed to the extension “under the same terms” after a top official in Qatar, the wealthy Persian Gulf monarchy playing host to the group’s political leadership, announced the extension of the “humanitarian truce” on Monday.

Israel’s military said later that the Red Cross had confirmed Hamas ’ release of 11 hostages on Monday evening — the latest freed under the terms of an original four-day pause in fighting that began Friday. Qatari officials said three French citizens, two Germans and six Argentines were also among those released.

Dozens of Israeli and foreign hostages are believed to remain in the hands of Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups inside Gaza . And Israeli officials stressed Monday that they remain committed to crushing Hamas ’ military capabilities and ending the Gaza-based group’s 16-year rule over the densely populated Palestinian enclave.

Israel has already waged a destructive campaign in Gaza in retaliation for Hamas ’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Israel declared war on Hamas, which Israel , the U.S. and many governments consider a terrorist organization, following a surprise rampage in which Hamas fighters killed more than 1,200 people and took 240 hostages. The Israeli counterattack on Gaza during the weeks since has killed more than 13,300 people, according to health authorities in the Hamas -ruled enclave.

Israeli Defense Forces will resume its operations in Gaza with “full force” as soon as the current cease-fire deal expires if Hamas does not agree to further hostage releases, government spokesperson Eylon Levy told reporters Monday. Israel has said that in addition to dismantling the Palestinian terror group, freeing the rest of the hostages is a top priority.

To fully crush Hamas, analysts say Israel is likely to expand its current ground offensive from devastated northern Gaza toward the besieged territory’s southern reaches, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have crammed into United Nations shelters during recent weeks.

Relief workers say a humanitarian crisis looms over large parts of Gaza , where dire conditions persist despite the increased delivery of aid under the initial cease-fire deal that was reached last week following mediation efforts by U.S., Egyptian and Qatari officials.

Biden backs deal

President Biden hailed the cease-fire extension on Monday, saying in a statement that he has “remained deeply engaged over the last few days to ensure that this deal — brokered and sustained through extensive U.S. mediation and diplomacy — can continue to deliver results.”

The White House was hoping more Americans will be among those released in the near future, although U.S. officials admit they can’t predict how Hamas will handle the releases. One American, 4-year-old Avigail Idan, whose parents were killed in the terrorist group’s attack on Israel, was released Sunday.

“We’re glad to see that there’s a two-day extension [to the cease-fire],” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a White House briefing Monday. “And we certainly would hope that in the next two days, in this next couple of installments, that we’ll see some Americans coming out.”

The State Department announced Monday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week will make his third trip to Israel since war broke out last month, exploring whether the current truce can be extended. Mr. Blinken is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his war Cabinet to discuss the situation in Gaza and the military and diplomatic road ahead.

Under the original four-day cease-fire deal, Israel had agreed to swap a total of 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails for 50 hostages taken by Hamas . As of Monday night, Israel had freed 117 Palestinians, while Hamas had released 58 hostages, including 39 Israelis.

French officials confirmed that three of the hostages released Monday were French-Israeli dual citizens, two 12-year-olds and one 16-year-old. The French government is ‘’working tirelessly’’ to free five other French citizens still held hostage, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Hamas had freed four hostages before the truce went into effect on Friday. Another was rescued, and two were found dead inside Gaza. Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for 2 1/2 weeks under the new terms announced Monday.

According to The Associated Press, those still in captivity in Gaza could include several Israeli soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.

There was anticipation Monday night that Israel would announce the release of more Palestinian prisoners in response to Hamas ’ freeing of 11 hostages following the cease-fire extension announcement earlier in the day. But it remains to be seen where the cease-fire will lead over the coming days.

“It seems unlikely that the interests of the Israeli side, Hamas and concerned outside actors can be harmonized into what almost the whole international community, outside of Israel , would like to see: a longer pause in the fighting,” said Paul Scham, a non-resident scholar with the Middle East Institute.

“In the short term, the possibility of an extended cease-fire beyond a few more days is low, unless and until the U.S. decides to ratchet up the pressure on the Israeli side, though this would further complicate their shared goal of eradicating Hamas ,” Mr. Scham wrote in an analysis circulated by the Washington-based think tank on Monday.

National trauma

After weeks of national trauma in Israel over the plight of the hostages, scenes of the women and children reuniting with families have rallied Israelis behind calls to rescue those remaining in captivity.

In a dramatic turn, Avigail, whose fourth birthday came while she was in captivity, was among 17 hostages Hamas freed on Sunday, including 14 Israelis. The same day saw Israel release 39 Palestinian prisoners.

Most of those freed by Hamas during recent days have appeared in stable physical condition nearly two months after being taken hostage and dragged into Gaza by the terrorist group.

Information about the conditions of their captivity has been tightly controlled, but family members of the released hostages have begun to share details about their loved ones’ experiences.

Merav Raviv, whose three relatives were released by Hamas on Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and had eaten mainly rice and bread. She said her cousin and aunt, Keren and Ruth Munder, had each lost about 15 pounds in just 50 days.

Ms. Raviv said she had heard from her freed family members that they had slept on rows of chairs pushed together in a room that looked like a reception area. They said they sometimes had to wait hours before going to the bathroom.

Adva Adar, the grandchild of 85-year-old released hostage Yaffa Adar, said her grandmother had also lost weight. “She counted the days of her captivity,” Ms. Adar told The Associated Press. “She came back and she said, ‘I know that I’ve been there for 50 days.’”

Ms. Adar said her grandmother was taken captive convinced that her family members were dead, only to emerge to the news that they had survived. Still, her release was bittersweet: She also found out that militants had ravaged her house.

“For an 85-year-old woman, usually you have your house where you raised your kids, you have your memories, your photo albums, your clothes,” Ms. Adar said. “She has nothing, and in her old age she needs to start over. She mentioned that it is tough for her.”

Inside Gaza , meanwhile, the precarious cease-fire has allowed food, water and medicine to flow into the territory in the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 aid trucks arriving daily during recent days remains less than half what the territory had been importing before the fighting began.

Long lines have formed outside stations distributing cooking fuel, which has been allowed into Gaza for the first time in weeks. Fuel for generators has been brought for key service providers, including hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, but bakeries have been unable to resume work, the United Nations said.

Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, has said roughly two-thirds of the more than 13,300 people killed in the territory since the fighting began have been women and minors.

The majority of the more than 1,200 people killed on the Israeli side — mostly in the initial Hamas attack on Oct. 7 — were civilians. At least 77 Israeli soldiers have died during Israel ’s ground offensive that began in Gaza in late October.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.

• Guy Taylor can be reached at .