As the temporary Gaza ceasefire enters its sixth and final day, Hamas is willing to extend the Qatar- and US-mediated truce by four more days, AFP reported on Tuesday.
“Hamas has informed the mediators that it is willing to extend the truce for four days,” the AFP report says. It adds that the Palestinian resistance movement has also expressed its willingness to help release more Israeli hostages held by other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza.
The news comes as Israel and Hamas continue to exchange hostages. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Hamas released on Tuesday 12 more hostages.
The ICRC said that it facilitated the release and transfer of the 12 hostages out of Gaza via the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
But many observers have expressed concern over the viability of the fragile ceasefire, with both sides accusing each other of violating some of its terms. In addition, as the truce only includes the Gaza Strip, many have taken issue with Israel turning its aggression to the occupied West Bank.
On Tuesday night, Israeli airstrikes targeted Jenin, a West Bank town that has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance.
Al Jazeera reports that the Israeli army targeted two homes and also destroyed roads and water mains. Israel’s raid on Jenin and the town’s refugee camp continued for more than 12 hours.
At least 20 people were injured, including two children. Israeli occupation forces equally blocked the entrances of two main hospitals and temporarily obstructed the entrance to a third one.
With this latest phase of Israeli aggression, official estimates indicate that more than 15,200 Palestinians (15,000 in the Gaza Strip and 242 in the West Bank) have to date perished in Israel’s punitive, murderous war on Palestine. Most egregiously, the revolting death toll includes over 6,200 children.
Source: Moroccoworldnews
