Will the lull in fighting continue? The negotiations are ongoing. Israel offered Hamas an “option” to extend the ceasefire, which began on Friday and is due to end at 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday. An Israeli government spokesman announced this on Monday, November 27th. Follow our live stream.
Almost 40 hostages freed within three days. This agreement between Israel and Hamas allowed for the release of hostages, prisoners and emergency aid in the Gaza Strip. Since Friday, 39 hostages have been released under the deal – plus 24 hostages outside the deal, the majority of whom were Thais working in Israel – as well as 117 Palestinian prisoners, at a ratio of one hostage to three prisoners.
• Hamas supports an extension. The Palestinian armed Islamist movement said in a statement that it was “seeking to extend the ceasefire beyond its four days.” So far the agreement has been renewed every day, with around ten hostages being released in exchange for around thirty prisoners.
• Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza. The Israeli leader called for “victory” during a visit to Gaza on Sunday. This was the first trip by an Israeli government to the area since its unilateral withdrawal from Palestinian territory in 2005. The Israeli leader will ask the government on Monday for a “war budget” of 30 billion shekels (7.3 billion euros).
• Former Palestinian prisoners welcomed to occupied West Bank. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) buses took released prisoners to Ramallah and Beitunia, where they were greeted by crowds waving flags of Palestinians, Hamas and other groups.
A humanitarian situation that is still “dangerous”. Since Friday, 248 trucks loaded with relief supplies have been able to enter the Gaza Strip. But “we should send 200 trucks a day for at least two months to meet the needs,” said a spokesman for the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Adnan Abou Hasna. In certain areas there is “neither drinking water nor food”.