GAZA/JERUSALEM – Israel and Hamas struck a last-minute agreement on Nov 30 to extend their six-day ceasefire by at least one more day to allow negotiators to keep working on deals to swop hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners.

The truce has allowed much needed humanitarian aid into Gaza after much of the coastal territory of 2.3 million was reduced to wasteland in response to a deadly rampage by Hamas militants into southern Israel on Oct 7.

“In light of the mediators’ efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages and subject to the terms of the framework, the operational pause will continue,” the Israeli military said in a statement, released minutes before the temporary truce was due to expire at 5am GMT (1pm Singapore time).

Israel’s military said earlier that the truce with Hamas will be extended to allow mediators to continue work to free hostages held in Gaza.

Hamas, which freed 16 hostages in exchange for 30 Palestinian prisoners on Nov 29, said in a statement the truce would continue for a seventh day.

The conditions of the ceasefire, including the halt of hostilities and the entry of humanitarian aid, remain the same, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson from Qatar – which has been a key mediator between the warring sides, along with Egypt and the United States.

In one outbreak of violence, at least six people were wounded in a shooting attack in Jerusalem on Nov 30, Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service said.

The police said two suspected attackers “were neutralised on the spot”.

Before the agreement, both Israel and Hamas had said they were preparing to resume fighting as negotiations over the next batch of hostages to be released hit an impasse.

“A short time ago, Israel was given a list of women and children in accordance with the terms of the agreement, and therefore the truce will continue,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Hamas earlier said Israel had refused to receive a further seven women and children and the bodies of three other hostages in exchange for extending the truce.

Hamas did not name those killed but on Nov 29 said a family of three Israeli hostages, including the youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, had died during Israel’s bombardment of the enclave.

Diplomatic push

Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas, which rules Gaza, in response to the Oct 7 rampage by the militant group, when Israel says gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 240 hostages.

Before the truce, Israel bombarded the territory for seven weeks and killed more than 15,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the coastal strip.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv earlier on Nov 30, his third trip to the region since the Oct 7 attack, to discuss extending the pause in fighting, humanitarian aid and the exchange of more hostages.

A total of 97 hostages have been freed since the start of the truce, according to a Reuters tally. The Israeli military says 145 hostages remain in Gaza.

On the night of Nov 29, two Russian citizens and four Thai citizens were released outside the framework of the agreement, while the 10 Israeli citizens freed included five dual nationals, officials said. They were a Dutch dual citizen, who is also a minor, three German dual citizens and one US dual citizen.

US President Joe Biden was determined to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas after American Liat Beinin was freed on Nov 29, the White House said in a statement.

The US is urging Israel to narrow the zone of combat and clarify where Palestinian civilians can seek safety during any Israeli operation in southern Gaza, US officials said on Nov 29, to prevent a repeat of the massive death toll from Israel’s northern Gaza attacks.

Jordan will host a conference attended by the main UN, regional and international relief agencies on Nov 30 to coordinate aid to Gaza, official media said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Nov 29 the Gaza Strip was in the midst of an “epic humanitarian catastrophe”, and he and others called for a ceasefire to replace the temporary truce.

China called on the Security Council on Nov 30 to formulate a “concrete” timetable and roadmap for a two-state solution to achieve a “comprehensive, just and lasting” settlement of the Palestinian issue. REUTERS