POTUS lauds extended Gaza ceasefire, hostage release deal 

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 28th Nov.
US President Joe Biden on Monday has expressed hope for an extension of the humanitarian deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip “so that we can continue to see more hostages come out and surge more humanitarian relief into those in need in Gaza”.

Hamas has offered to extend the deal for another 2 to 4 days.

Biden’s remarks came as the deal entered its last and fourth day. As per the agreement, a four day ceasefire was agreed by Israel in exchange for the release of hostages being held by Hamas.

The deal brokered by Qatar, the United States and Egypt, Israel will observe a ceasefire for four days and in return, Hamas will free Israeli around 50 hostages in batches. Hamas has released three batches of 12-14 hostages in the first three days.

Israel has freed Palestinian prisoners in exchange and allowed humanitarian aid trucks to enter Gaza.

Hamas has offered to extend the deal for another 2-4 days that will see the release of up to 40 additional Israeli hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted the deal could be extended further but vowed action with full force once the deal is off.

Hamas released a group of 14 Israeli and three foreign nationals and Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners in return. This was the third such release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Israel declared a war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in response to its deadly attack on October 7 in which more than 1,400 people were killed and around 240 others were kidnapped.

Hamas-run health ministry has said that more than 14,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli’s retaliatory campaign since October 7.

Both parties to the conflict relented under international pressure and agreed on a  deal to pause the fighting and release hostages.

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