Late this Wednesday, a few hours before the end of the truce, Hamas hands over last ten Israeli hostagesconfirmed Independent sources of Qatari mediation, in the middle of a countdown during which contacts have intensified to try to get the parties to renew the cessation of hostilities in exchange for new releases.

“In accordance with the conditions established on the sixth day of the humanitarian pause agreement, 30 Palestinians, including 16 minors and 14 women, were released today in exchange for the release of 10 hostages in the Gaza Strip. In addition, two Russian citizens and four Thais were released outside the framework of the agreement and transferred to the International Red Cross,” he said. Majed Al Ansari, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

Among ten Israelis Five have dual citizenship: two are from the Netherlands; three from Germany and one from the USA. “Qatar remains hopeful that the progress made in recent days can be maintained and that a new extension of the humanitarian pause agreement can be reached,” they detailed from Doha. In photographs released this Wednesday by Hamas, the group’s operatives escort the hostages until they are handed over to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross amid a crowd of curious onlookers amid cries of “God is Great.”

A few hours earlier in an interview IndependentAl-Ansari admitted that the negotiations were difficult, although he showed some optimism. “We hope to eventually get another expansion. These extensions are based on Hamas’s ability to take a minimum of ten hostages per day, which was achieved yesterday, and we have a list for today. We expect a release in a couple of hours, and at the same time we will announce whether there will be an additional extension,” said a representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

Pressure on Netanyahu to continue the war

In the afternoon, information emerged about a purported agreement for a two-day extension, which Doha denied shortly thereafter. Pressure on the Israeli government to resume ground operations in the Gaza Strip has increased in recent hours. In his afternoon message, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war was far from over.

“From the very beginning of the war, I set three goals: the elimination of Hamas, the return of all those abducted and ensuring that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel. These three goals remain in force,” the prime minister emphasized. “But in recent days I have been hearing the question: once this phase of returning captives is completed, will Israel return to war? The answer is a resounding yes,” he added. About 160 Israelis remain in the hands of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other groups and individuals in the strip. The most difficult part, as a Qatari negotiator admitted to this newspaper, is negotiating the release of Israeli soldiers.

“We cannot give up the fight until the end. This is my policy, the entire cabinet of ministers is behind this decision, the entire government is behind this decision, the soldiers are behind this decision, the people are behind this decision. And that’s exactly what we will do,” Netanyahu explained. Other members of the War Cabinet made similar statements.