Mediators eye Gaza truce extension

International mediators are trying to extend the truce in Gaza by encouraging Hamas and Israel to continue exchanging hostages for prisoners, as the five-day cease-fire is set to expire Wednesday.

Israel has said it will refrain from striking Gaza if Hamas keeps releasing hostages taken by the Palestinian militant group in its Oct. 7 surprise attack. Hamas leaders have likely relocated to southern Gaza, The Associated Press reported, where the U.S. has warned Israel about its strategy.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Biden administration hopes Israel and Hamas will again extend the temporary cease-fire agreement to allow for more releases and the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Ahead of his third visit to the Middle East since early October, Blinken said the administration hopes to discuss more short-term solutions and a longer-term idea of the future governance of Gaza.

The Biden administration, which helped broker the deal along with Qatar and Egypt, has told Israel that if it continues its attack against Hamas, it must do so with more precision in the south, where many civilians have fled.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the pressures and incentives for both Israel and Hamas to stick with the truce “are at the moment stronger than the incentives to go back to war.”

Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt’s state information services, said negotiations to continue the truce are “highly likely” and should be announced Wednesday, the AP reported.

Israel and Hamas are expected to release more people in captivity Wednesday, the final day of the current truce.

Hamas has released 60 Israeli women and children so far among the some 240 hostages taken during its initial attack on Israel. Israel has released 180 Palestinian prisoners, all women and teenagers, in return.

The Associated Press contributed