Netanyahu Offers to Extend Humanitarian Pause if 10 Hostages Freed for Each Additional Day

Tel Aviv, MINA – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his government would accept an extension of the humanitarian pause in Gaza in exchange for the release of more hostages, Anadolu Agency reports.

Netanyahu said in a video statement published by his office that he spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden and told him an extension would be accepted in exchange for the release of 10 hostages for each additional day of the pause.

He stressed that after the pause, Israel would continue its military operations with the ultimate aim of eliminating the Palestinian group Hamas and seeing to it that all of the remaining hostages are returned.

Israeli released the first batch of prisoners, which included 24 women and 15 teenagers on Friday, the second batch of 39 prisoners, including six women and 33 teenagers, was released late Saturday night, and the third Batch of 39 Palestinians was released on Sunday night.

The four-day humanitarian truce entered into force on Friday at 7:00 AM after 50 days of ongoing Israeli bombardment against the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the killing of more than 15,000 citizens, including 6,150 children, and over 4,000 women.(T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)