Hamas and Israel released more captives and prisoners under a fragile truce that held for a fifth day as international mediators in Qatar worked to extend it.
Israel said on Tuesday that 10 of its citizens and two Thai nationals were freed by Hamas and had been returned to Israel, bringing the total number of freed captives to 86 from about 240 people taken to the Gaza Strip after Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel.
Soon after, Israel released 30 Palestinians from its jails, bringing the total number of freed prisoners to 180.
The list of released Palestinians included the names of 15 children – 12 from Jerusalem and three from the occupied West Bank – and 15 women – five from Jerusalem and 10 from the West Bank.
Late on Monday, Qatar announced an agreement to extend the initial four-day pause for an additional two days, under which further prisoner exchanges will be carried out. The truce is due to end after one more exchange on Wednesday night.
However, the heads of the US and Israeli intelligence agencies were in Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, to discuss extending the truce and releasing more people.