The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be extended until Sunday morning, but only if Hamas released all women and children held hostage in Gaza, Israeli negotiators have reportedly said.
The temporary truce, which both sides initially agreed would last four days but was then lengthened by a further two, is due to end on Wednesday – with a group of ten hostages expected to be freed today.
Israeli authorities estimate that around 100 women and children were among the 240 people abducted by Hamas terrorists as they stormed kibbutzim in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, on October 7.
Sixty hostages have so far been released by the group in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, while Israel and Hamas continue to observe a pause in fighting.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had previously told US President Joe Biden he would be willing to extend the truce an extra day for every 10 hostages that are released, something negotiators have also pushed for.
Hostage Mia Leimberg, 17, was filmed clutching her pet dog, a Shih Tzu called Bella, as she was taken to be handed back to Israel by Hamas fighters
Former Israeli hostage 12-year-old Eitan Yahalomi (R) reunites with his mother following his release by Hamas from the Gaza Strip
The fifth group of hostages is said to include nine women and one child
Hamas fighters accompany newly released hostages before handing them over to the Red Cross in Rafah
However, the Israeli military continues to apply pressure on politicians to resume the fighting before it loses momentum in its goal to obliterate Hamas, in a war which has seen huge parts of Gaza levelled.
While women and children remain the priority, with dozens still being held captive by Hamas and other Palestinian terror factions, questions are also mounting over the fate of men taken captive.
Hamas is expected to demand a far higher ‘price’ to hand over civilian men, The Times reports, with the current rate for exchange being three Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli hostage released.
The push to free women and children comes as fears are mounting over the safety of a small baby and his family, who the IDF says Hamas is not releasing.
Hamas’ youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his older brother, Ariel, and their parents, Yarden and Shiri Bibas, on October 7.
A spokesperson for IDF yesterday made the grim announcement that the family has been moved to Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza that is expected to come under heavy fire when the ceasefire ends on Thursday.
Ofri, the sister of Kfir’s father Yarden whose whereabouts are unknown, said: ‘We’re talking to you today because tomorrow is the last day of the current ceasefire.
‘At the moment they are the youngest hostages still remaining in Hamas captivity. We don’t know where they’ve been held. We’re really worried about the 10-month-old baby with formula as the main diet.
Ten Israeli hostages, including a number of elderly women and a mother and daughter, were released on Tuesday
She described not knowing what was happening as ‘psychological torture’ and added: ‘It’s working really well because the last four days have been a big nightmare’, adding: ‘I hope they don’t hold them as a trophy.’
Tuesday night saw the release of nine Israeli women and a teenager.
Mia Leimberg, 17, was released along with her mother and was filmed clutching her pet dog, a Shih Tzu called Bella, as she was taken to be handed back to Israel by Hamas fighters.
It comes after a senior diplomatic source in the Knesset yesterday told The Times of Israel of negotiations to prolong the truce: ‘If there is a concrete proposal, the cabinet will consider it, but there hasn’t been anything like that.
‘If we see it’s a serious proposal, we’ll look into it.’
Teenage hostage Mia was pictured flanked by Hamas fighters and clutching a dog during her release
Noam Sagi (L), 53, pictured with his mother, Ada Sagi (R)
Despite ongoing Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza.
That would likely mean expanding a ground offensive from devastated northern Gaza to the south, which has already seen devastating strikes on residential buildings which Israel says are targeting Hamas targets.
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.