International mediators on Wednesday worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's air and ground offensive. The ceasefire will otherwise end within a day.
Hamas freed two Russian-Israeli women, who exited Gaza Wednesday evening, Israel said. The release was expected to be followed by the swap of 10 more hostages in Gaza for 30 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
In a social media post, the Office of the Israeli prime minister named the two Russian-Israeli hostages who were freed Wednesday as 50-year-old Yelena Trupanov and 73-year-old Irena Tati.
Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives.
A return to war, eventually?
Hamas fighters took some 240 people hostage during a rampage into southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which they killed 1,200 people. Israel's bombardment of Gaza in retaliation has killed more than 15,000 Gazans, according to health authorities in the Palestinian enclave.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war.
"After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting?" asked Netanyahu. "My answer is an unequivocal yes. There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end."
He spoke ahead of a visit to the region planned this week by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for further extensions of the truce and hostage releases.
Weeks of heavy bombardment and a ground invasion demolished vast swaths of Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. But it seems to have had little effect on Hamas' rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the ceasefire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the release of hostages.
Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people are now crammed into southern Gaza. The truce has led to a frenzied rush to obtain supplies to feed their families as aid enters in greater, but still insufficient, amounts. Hanging over everyone is the fear that fighting will soon resume.
An Israeli ground invasion of the south will likely bring an escalating cost in Palestinian lives and destruction.
The government of U.S. President Joe Biden has told Israel that if it launches an offensive in the south, it must operate with far greater precision.
"How far both sides will be prepared to go in trading hostages and prisoners for the pause is about to be tested, but the pressures and incentives for both to stick with it are at the moment stronger than the incentives to go back to war," Martin Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The ceasefire is due to end at some point after Wednesday's exchange.
Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's state information services, said negotiations have made progress and that it is "highly likely" an extension will be announced Wednesday. Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. have led mediation in the original ceasefire and a two-day extension announced Monday.
Israel confirms Hamas releasing more hostages, as mediators push for truce extension - CBC.ca
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