Last release of hostages in Gaza begins as mediators aim to extend truce

International mediators worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's air and ground offensive. The cease-fire will otherwise end within a day.

Two Russian-Israeli women freed by Hamas entered Israel Wednesday evening, the military said. The release was expected to be followed by the swap of 10 more hostages in Gaza for 30 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war

"After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting? So my answer is an unequivocal yes," he said. "There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end."

He spoke ahead of a visit to the region planned this week by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for further extensions of the truce and hostage releases.

 

In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinian boys an 8-year-old and a 15-year-old during a raid on the town of Jenin, Palestinian health officials said. Security footage showed a group of boys in the street who start to run, except for one who falls to the ground, bleeding.

The Israeli military said its troops fired on people who threw explosives at them, but did not specify it was referring to the boys, who are not seen throwing anything. Separately, the military said its troops killed two Islamic Jihad militants during the raid.

Weeks of heavy bombardment and a ground invasion demolished vast swaths of Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. But it seems to have had little effect on Hamas' rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the release of hostages. Hamas leaders, including Yehya Sinwar, have likely relocated to the south.

Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people are now crammed into southern Gaza, with some three-quarters of them driven from their homes. The truce has led to a frenzied rush to obtain supplies to feed their families as aid enters in greater, but still insufficient, amounts. Hanging over everyone is the fear that fighting will soon resume.

An Israeli ground invasion of the south will likely bring an escalating cost in Palestinian lives and destruction that the United States, Israel's main ally, could be unwilling to bear.

The Biden administration has told Israel that if it launches an offensive in the south, it must operate with far greater precision.

"How far both sides will be prepared to go in trading hostages and prisoners for the pause is about to be tested, but the pressures and incentives for both to stick with it are at the moment stronger than the incentives to go back to war," Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel, wrote on X.

The cease-fire is due to end at some point after Wednesday's exchange.

Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's state information services, said negotiations have made progress and that it is "highly likely" an extension will be announced Wednesday. Egypt, Qatar and the US have led mediation in the original cease-fire and a two-day extension announced Monday.

The war began with Hamas' October 7 attack into southern Israel, in which it killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militants kidnapped some 240 people back into Gaza, including babies, children, women, soldiers, older adults and Thai farm labourers.

Israel's bombing campaign and ground invasion in Gaza have killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

The toll is likely much higher, as officials have only sporadically updated the count since November 11 due to the breakdown of services in the north. The ministry says thousands more people are missing and feared dead under the rubble.

Israel says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.

The plight of the captives and shock from the October 7 attack have galvanised Israeli support for the war. But Netanyahu is also under pressure to bring the hostages home and could find it difficult to resume the offensive if there's a prospect for more releases.

Before Wednesday's hostage releases, Israel said around 160 hostages were still being held in Gaza 126 men and 35 women; four under the age of 18, and 10 over the age of 75. Each side so far has been releasing women and children for the swaps.

An Israeli official involved in hostage negotiations said efforts were focused on a two-day truce extension for the release of all remaining women and children held by Hamas.

Until that happens, a further extension for release of civilian males and soldiers would not be considered, he said. He estimated that there are "several dozen" soldiers in Hamas captivity, most of them males. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing.

For men and especially soldiers Hamas is expected to push for comparable releases of Palestinian men or prominent detainees, a deal Israel may resist.