Efforts to extend the Gaza ceasefire may depend on Hamas finding dozens of other women and children kidnapped in the Gaza Strip, according to Qatar’s prime minister, who is negotiating their release.
The ceasefire expires at 7 a.m. Tuesday as Israel and Hamas prepare for a fourth exchange of militant hostages for Palestinians detained by Israel.
Israel announced that it would extend the ceasefire by one day for every ten hostages released.
Hamas also said it hoped to extend a four-day ceasefire that took effect on Friday after weeks of indirect talks between the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he wants to continue the military campaign to destroy Hamas. But his government is under intense pressure from families of hostages and key allies to extend the ceasefire and secure more releases. On Sunday he said he had told US President Joe Biden he would be happy to extend the temporary ceasefire if 10 more prisoners were released each day.
Biden has made it clear that he wants the ceasefire to be extended. On Sunday he said: “It is my goal, it is our goal, to extend this pause beyond tomorrow so that we can see the release of more hostages and provide more humanitarian aid to people in need in the Gaza Strip.”
But that would require a hostage exchange – and Hamas may have to produce more kidnapped, allegedly kidnapped by smaller armed gangs and even individuals during the brutal Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
This was stated by the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. Financial times that more than 40 more women and children are being held captive in the Gaza Strip, where they are not believed to be held by Hamas. He said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas could use the lull in the conflict to find the hostages.
“If they have more wives and children, the period will be extended,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “We don’t yet have clear information about how many of them can be found, because… one of the goals [of the pause] You [Hamas] Hurry up to find the remaining missing people.”
It was already known that non-Hamas Gazans were involved in violence and kidnappings.
This was also reported by a source close to the Qatari government. I that not all kidnap victims were abducted by Hamas militants.
He said: “They don’t know where most of them are being kept so they have no control.”
Another Middle East official associated with the United Nations said it was “common knowledge” that Hamas members from the Gaza Strip were involved in the Oct. 7 attack and kidnappings, saying it would “certainly complicate hostage-taking.”
This was reported by another source familiar with the security situation in the Gaza Strip. IHowever, if people not affiliated with the militant group were “taking hostages, I think most of the hostages would have already been handed over to Hamas or PIJ, given what I know about how the Gaza Strip operates.” [Palestinian Islamic Jihad]”.
Negotiators and families of the abducted will hope that this source is right. Otherwise, the extension of the ceasefire – and the fate of the hostages – could be beyond Hamas’ control as the deadline expires Tuesday morning and more violent bombings are expected.
However, Egypt and Qatar could be closer to an agreement to extend Israel’s ceasefire with the Gaza Strip by two days on Monday afternoon, according to Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS). The two-day extension would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 60 Palestinian prisoners, he said.
Source: I News
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