The Israeli military said this morning that the truce with Hamas will continue “in light of the mediators’ efforts to advance the process of releasing the hostages and in compliance with the terms of the agreement.” Israel’s national public broadcaster Kan reports that the country’s first war cabinet meeting ended without a decision on extending the ceasefire in Gaza, which expires this morning. According to Kan, Israel wanted to “receive an “improved list” of the next prisoners to be released from Hamas by 7 am local time (6 am in Italy). An official Israeli source added to the broadcaster that if the list was not changed by that deadline, fighting in the Strip would resume.
Six women and two children released
According to Israeli sources, the list of hostages to be released today includes eight people, probably six women and two children. The Israeli media reported this, adding that the bodies of three kidnapped people will also be returned. Efforts to continue the ceasefire and release more hostages continued throughout the night. Hamas initially insisted on the surrender of five live hostages and three bodies, all women and children. A list that Israel opposed because it went against the condition agreed in the original agreement, according to which Hamas would release 10 live hostages every day.