According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Israel has accepted a suggestion from President Donald Trump’s Middle East representative, Steve Witkoff, to extend the ceasefire temporarily during the Muslim Ramadan and Jewish Passover period.
The news came as the first temporary ceasefire agreement expired at midnight local time.
The decision to prolong the ceasefire was made by Netanyahu’s office after they acknowledged the necessity for more time to find a lasting solution.
As per the proposal for the extension, half of the hostages and the bodies of deceased hostages still held in Gaza will be freed, with the remainder set free once a permanent ceasefire agreement is reached.
“Israel will immediately enter negotiations on all details of Witkoff’s framework,” if Hamas agrees, the Israeli government said.
If a new ceasefire deal is not agreed to, fighting is set to resume on Sunday.
Witkoff’s proposal said: “There is no possibility of bridging the gaps between the parties’ positions to end the war and that additional time is needed for negotiations on a permanent ceasefire,” the Post reported.
Hamas terrorists gather to watch the handover of three Israeli hostages to a Red Cross team in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, Feb. 8, 2025. (Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A total of 38 hostages were released during the 42-day ceasefire phase one that began in mid-January in return for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Reuters reported that Hamas posted a video Saturday that said hostages that remain in Gaza will only be released through another swap for Palestinian prisoners, which was part of the original phased ceasefire agreement framework.
Ongoing permanent ceasefire talks primarily held in Cairo have stalled.
Reuters contributed to this report.
