Blinken will visit Israel, the West Bank, and the UAE this week

Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip for two additional days, after intense negotiations led by mediators that intensified in the last hours of Monday, which was supposed to be the last day of the truce.

The Hamas movement announced, in a statement, “that it was agreed with the brothers in Qatar and Egypt to extend the temporary humanitarian truce for two additional days under the same conditions as the previous truce.”

The announcement of extending the truce came after Israel and Hamas agreed to the principle of extending the truce one day for every 10 Israeli prisoners. The negotiation focused on extending the truce for an additional 4 days at once, as Hamas wanted, or day after day as Israel requested. Finally agreed on two days.

While Qatar and Hamas confirmed the agreement, Israel linked it to receiving the names of 20 other detainees held by Hamas. An Israeli official told various Israeli media outlets that Israel would agree to two more days of truce if it received, by 12 p.m. on Monday, the names of 20 detainees held by Hamas.

Hamas leader Osama Hamdan confirmed in a statement that the movement is preparing a “new list” of hostages it is holding “with the aim of extending the truce.”

In the past few days, Hamas handed over 50 prisoners (a woman and a child), and Israel released 150 prisoners (a child and a woman), and is supposed to hand over 20 more, not including any soldiers.

Officials in the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements confirmed that the file of the captured soldiers has not yet been opened and its price is completely different.

The factions want to whitewash the prisons in exchange for the soldiers they have. The truce gives Israel and Hamas an opportunity to gain more time. For Hamas to gather its strength in Gaza and abroad and arrange its priorities and cards again, and to arrange its situation on the ground as well, including reaching other potential Israeli prisoners held by other factions and parties, and bringing fuel, gas and aid into the Gaza Strip. As for Israel, in order to relieve global and American pressure as well, and to relieve the army and give it an opportunity to prepare again for the resumption of the war on a larger scale.

The military analyst in the Haaretz newspaper, Amos Harel, said that “the ceasefire may last for several more days,” given that Hamas informed Qatar that it could gather approximately 90 hostages, including foreigners, women, minors, and others in need of health care, the majority of whom Of the elderly.

Harel stressed that “in the Israeli army there is no feeling that resuming the military operation is an urgent matter.” For two reasons; The first is that “understandings within the Israeli government talk about a maximum limit for a truce lasting another week before the resumption of the war on Gaza, if during which it is possible to return other kidnapped persons.” The second is that although the delay (in resuming the war) is associated with risks represented by Hamas reorganizing its forces, equipping itself with weapons, and making changes in its military preparations, the army also needs time to revitalize its forces and prepare them for the next stage.”

As for the citizens of Gaza, the truce means another chance at life for them. They have breathed a sigh of relief during the past four days, and the West Bank scene has calmed down somewhat.

The quietest day since October 7th

On Monday, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank experienced the calmest day since October 7, with no deaths or injuries, and the release of the fourth batch of prisoners between Hamas and Israel was completed after disputes over names.

It is expected that Hamas will “late” release 11 Israelis in exchange for 33 Palestinian prisoners as part of the fourth batch of the exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, after disagreements due to the list presented by “Hamas” that did not include mothers, in contrast to the agreement that It stipulates that children will be released with their mothers, and Hamas has offered to release 9 children and two elderly women.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation “Kan” confirmed early Monday the existence of active negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, to settle the controversial points regarding the names of the Israeli detainees who are supposed to be released on the same day. She pointed out that the fourth batch (Monday) includes the release of 11 Israelis, and added that the problem is that the list does not include mothers, but rather 9 children and two elderly women.

A senior Israeli official confirmed in a briefing to Israeli media that indirect negotiations with Hamas are “continuing,” and unless a last-minute surprise occurs, the fourth and final batch of prisoner exchange will take place.

According to Israeli media, Hamas responded to Qatari interventions and amended the list.

Late, Israel sent the Red Cross a list of 33 names, including 3 women and 30 children, to be released on Monday, and the Red Cross said it was preparing to receive the Israelis from Gaza.

Israel says that after Monday, 172 detainees are believed to still be held by Hamas and other factions in the Gaza Strip, including 11 children and 41 women. Among them are eight or nine Americans detained by Hamas.

The price of soldiers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had confirmed on Sunday that he was ready to extend the truce by a day for every 10 detainees, but he realizes that at some point Hamas will stop, because the rest of them will become soldiers, and Hamas wants a high price for them that it does not believe Israel is willing to pay. Now, waiting for how the war would go, and whether or not they would be able to reach them themselves.

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant conducted an assessment of the situation to “determine” the location of prisoners and missing persons detained in Gaza.

The head of the Mossad, Dedi Barnea, the deputy head of the Shin Bet, and the leader of the intelligence efforts on the matter, Nitzan Alon, participated in the session to assess the situation.