Israel and Hamas Prolong Truce Agreement
In a surprising turn of events, Israel and Hamas reach a consensus to prolong their truce agreement in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, initially slated to conclude, manages to secure an additional two days as per Qatari and Hamas's announcement.
According to Qatari Foreign Ministry and Hamas, the armistice will extend by an additional two days. The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on a specific date, "to extend the humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip by two more days." Hamas also confirmed this information, stating that the existing conditions would apply as in the previous agreement.
Following extended negotiations headed by Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt, Israel and Hamas initially agreed upon a four-day truce last week. Commencing on a Friday morning, this truce was due to expire on a Tuesday morning but then received an extension.
During this armistice, 39 Hamas prisoners, including eight dual-nationals from Germany, have been discharged. Furthermore, 19 hostages, primarily Thai nationals, were released under separate treaties. In response, Israel has liberated 117 Palestinian prisoners from its detention centers since the truce was initiated.
Prior to this truce, Israel had attacked Gaza viciously, targeting various sites from the air and ground, following the Hamas raid on October 7. Numerous hostages were taken during this raid.
Qatar served as a crucial mediator in the extension of the truce between Israel and Hamas, which was officially extended by the Qatari Foreign Ministry. This extension was facilitated by further negotiations involving the U.S. and Egypt, reinstating the initial ceasefire's conditions.
Tensions between Israel and Hamas remain heightened despite the prolonged truce. This is primarily due to Hamas's involvement in hostage-taking incidents during their conflicts, most notably, during the hostage taking incident involving the Israeli hostages abducted during the Hamas raid on October 7.
Enrichment Insights:
After brokering a comprehensive truce, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is phased in three unique stages. Each stage has a specific objective and length, as outlined below:
- First Stage: This current phase focuses on releasing 33 Israeli prisoners, primarily older men and women. In exchange, Hamas will release 30-50 Palestinians. Humanitarian aid will be provided to the displaced Palestinians, and Israeli troops will gradually withdraw from Gaza's major cities [1][2].
- Second Stage: In this subsequent phase, younger male Israeli prisoners will be exchanged for an increased number of Palestinian detainees. At this point, Israel will officially declare an end to the conflict [1][2].
- Third Stage: This last phase will concern the return of deceased Israeli hostages' remains, the ultimate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and the start of Gaza's reconstruction [1][2].
It's important to note that the second and third stages have only been agreed upon in principle as of now [1][2]. The entire truce process is expected to span approximately 126 days, with each stage lasting 42 days.
[1] NTV (2025). Israel, Hamas Agree to Phased Ceasefire Deal. [online] Available at: [2] Reuters (2025). Israel, Hamas extend Gaza truce as death toll rises. [online] Available at:
