On the final day of the four-day truce, Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the truce for two more days on Monday. The spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced that an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian pause for an “additional two days”.
Qatar, along with Egypt, has been the key mediator in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Israel PM's office said that they have notified the families of hostages to be released tonight.
"Israeli authorities have notified the families of hostages slated to be released in the coming hours," the Israeli prime minister’s office has said.
Before the statement released by Qatar, Egypt had informed that an extension agreement was close and would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages from among those seized by Hamas during October 7. In an exchange, 60 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails would be freed, it added.
Reportedly, a release of 11 Israeli hostages was expected on Monday.
On Sunday, Hamas freed 17 people, including a 4-year-old Israeli American girl. So far 58 hostages were freed by Hamas. With 39 Palestinian prisoners released on Sunday, a total of 117 were freed by Israel under the truce.
Earlier, Israel PM's office said that negotiations over list of hostages to be released was continuing. “Negotiations on the list of those slated to be released under the framework of the hostages release outline are continuing...We are aware of the tension in the families and will release additional information when possible. We request to refrain from disseminating rumors and unreliable information," read the statement.
Arab states, EU agree for two-state solution
The Arab states and the European Union at a meeting in Spain on Monday agreed on the need for a two-state solution to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said that almost all EU members attending the meeting of Mediterranean nations in Barcelona and almost all attendees overall had agreed on the need for a two-state solution. The Palestinian Authority should rule Gaza, said Borrell.
Borrell also added that Palestinian people cannot pay for the action of Hamas. “It makes no sense to give food to somebody that will be killed the day after. We need to stop the bombardment, and we have to avoid more deaths. Humanitarian help is necessary, but it’s not enough,” he said.
The Palestinian Authority must hold elections and improve its functioning but is the only "viable solution" to the future leadership of Gaza, currently run by Hamas Islamists, to avoid a "power vacuum", he said.
Over 14,000 people were killed since the Hamas attack.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said the Palestinian Authority, which lost control of the Gaza Strip in a 2007 power struggle with Hamas, had no need to return to Gaza. "We have been there all the time, we have 60,000 public workers there," he said.
Meanwhile, an Israeli spokesperson said that the total number of hostages still held in Gaza has now become 184, including 14 foreigners and 80 Israelis with dual nationality.