Through shuttle diplomatic efforts from many countries, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire was extended for one more day. This short extension cannot calm the situation but more or less makes progress in the issue of hostages and humanitarian aid.
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| Israeli hostages arrive at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv after being released on October 23. (Source: Getty) |
1 day extension of ceasefire
Israel and Hamas reached a last-minute agreement on November 30 to extend a six-day ceasefire by one day to allow negotiators to continue working on deals to free hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire has allowed much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza after much of the coastal enclave of 2.3 million people was flattened by Israeli air strikes in retaliation for a surprise offensive by Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, on October 7.
In a statement released minutes before the temporary ceasefire expired at 05:00 GMT on November 30 (12:00 the same day Vietnam time), the Israeli military said the ceasefire would be extended “based on the efforts of the mediators to continue the process of releasing the hostages and complying with the terms of the agreement”.
On the same day, Hamas confirmed that the ceasefire with Israel would continue for the seventh consecutive day. According to a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, the conditions of the ceasefire, including the cessation of fighting and the receipt of humanitarian aid, remain in place.
Qatar is the main mediator between the conflicting parties, along with Egypt and the United States. Before the truce was extended, Israel and Hamas said they were preparing to resume fighting as talks over the next round of hostage releases stalled.
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out, Arab shuttle diplomacy has been seamlessly deployed to push for a number of initiatives to end the humanitarian disaster in this coastal strip.
Among those initiatives, a working group was established at the joint summit of the Arab League (AL) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Saudi capital Riyadh this month. The group includes foreign ministers and other representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the Palestinian Authority and the OIC Secretary General.
Diplomats from these Arab and Muslim countries visited the capitals of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and elsewhere last week in search of an urgent solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Diplomatic boost
Israel has taken a heavy hand against Hamas, the group that controls Gaza, in retaliation for the militant group’s October 7 attack in southern Israel that left 1,200 people dead and 240 hostage. According to Gaza’s health authorities, Israel had been shelling the territory for seven weeks before the ceasefire.
The announcement of the ceasefire extension came hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on the evening of November 29, his third trip to the region since the October 7 attack, to discuss extending the ceasefire, humanitarian aid and continuing the hostage exchange.
According to Reuters statistics, 97 hostages have been released since the start of the six-day ceasefire. The Israeli military said 145 hostages remain in Gaza.
On the evening of November 29, two Russian citizens and four Thai citizens were released outside the framework of the agreement, and 10 Israeli citizens were released, including five dual nationals.
In a statement, the White House said US President Joe Biden is determined to ensure all hostages held by Hamas are released.
US officials say Washington is urging Israel to narrow the area of fighting and announce where Palestinian civilians can seek temporary refuge during any Israeli operation in southern Gaza, to avoid a repeat of the horrific casualties caused by Israeli military attacks in northern Gaza.
Earlier, AFP quoted a statement posted on Hamas' Telegram channel, asking their fighters to "maintain a high level of military readiness... in case fighting resumes if the ceasefire is not extended."
Meanwhile, Israeli military spokesman Doron Spielman said the army would “switch to combat mode very quickly and continue attacking targets in Gaza” when the ceasefire ends.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on November 29 that the Gaza Strip was in the midst of a “horrific humanitarian disaster” and called for a new ceasefire to replace the temporary ceasefire.
Jordan is hosting a conference on November 30 with the participation of major UN, regional and international relief agencies to coordinate aid for Gaza, media reported. China also called on the Security Council to develop a “concrete” timetable and roadmap for a two-state solution to achieve a “comprehensive, just and lasting” solution to the Palestinian issue.
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