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TEL AVIV: A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group releasing more hostages. However, for the first time since the ceasefire began, Israel and Hamas traded accusations of a serious violation.
The Israeli military said three explosive devices were detonated near its troops at two locations in northern Gaza, and that militants at one site opened fire on the troops, who fired back.It said its troops were in positions in accordance with the terms of the truce, Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of committing a “blatant breach of the ceasefire”, triggering retaliation by its fighters, without providing details. It said that it “was still committed to the ceasefire so long as the enemy is committed to it”, and urged mediators to intervene. It was not immediately clear if the exchange posed a threat to the truce. But it underscored the fragility of the deal in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that 12 hostages who were held in Gaza – 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals – were on their way to Israeli territory. Thirty Palestinian detainees are also expected to be released on Tuesday. Hamas had released 50 Israeli hostages as of Monday night as well as 19 foreigners, mostly Thais. Israel has so far released 150 prisoners.
The sides agreed to extend their truce through Wednesday, with another planned exchange of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 people, out of the 240 seized in their Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war. That’s enough to potentially extend the truce for another two weeks under the existing framework brokered by the Qatar, Egypt and the US, but Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers. US secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit the region this week, with an eye to extending the truce.
The decision by Israel and Hamas to extend their brief truce in Gaza has created short-term benefits for both sides but amplified uncertainty about how, when and whether Israel will continue its invasion of Gaza. The longer that dynamic lasts, the greater Israel’s conundrum. Each daily prisoner release boosts Hamas’s popularity in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where many of the freed Palestinians have returned. A long pause slows the momentum of Israel’s invasion. Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities. That would almost certainly require expanding the ground offensive from northern Gaza – where entire residential areas have been pounded into rubble – to the south, where thousands of displaced people have packed into UN shelters.
The Israeli military said three explosive devices were detonated near its troops at two locations in northern Gaza, and that militants at one site opened fire on the troops, who fired back.It said its troops were in positions in accordance with the terms of the truce, Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of committing a “blatant breach of the ceasefire”, triggering retaliation by its fighters, without providing details. It said that it “was still committed to the ceasefire so long as the enemy is committed to it”, and urged mediators to intervene. It was not immediately clear if the exchange posed a threat to the truce. But it underscored the fragility of the deal in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that 12 hostages who were held in Gaza – 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals – were on their way to Israeli territory. Thirty Palestinian detainees are also expected to be released on Tuesday. Hamas had released 50 Israeli hostages as of Monday night as well as 19 foreigners, mostly Thais. Israel has so far released 150 prisoners.
The sides agreed to extend their truce through Wednesday, with another planned exchange of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 people, out of the 240 seized in their Oct. 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war. That’s enough to potentially extend the truce for another two weeks under the existing framework brokered by the Qatar, Egypt and the US, but Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers. US secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit the region this week, with an eye to extending the truce.
The decision by Israel and Hamas to extend their brief truce in Gaza has created short-term benefits for both sides but amplified uncertainty about how, when and whether Israel will continue its invasion of Gaza. The longer that dynamic lasts, the greater Israel’s conundrum. Each daily prisoner release boosts Hamas’s popularity in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where many of the freed Palestinians have returned. A long pause slows the momentum of Israel’s invasion. Israel has vowed to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities. That would almost certainly require expanding the ground offensive from northern Gaza – where entire residential areas have been pounded into rubble – to the south, where thousands of displaced people have packed into UN shelters.
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