A further 11 captives – nine women and two children – were released from Gaza into the hands of the Red Cross before being transferred to Egypt and then on to the Israeli military.
It means some 51 hostages have now been released during the four day halt in fighting, with another 33 Palestinian prisoners set free in return, bringing that total to 150.
International go-betweens from Qatar and Egypt had urgently been working with both sides before last night’s midnight deadline.
They then announced that a deal had been thrashed out to ensure the ceasefire was extended – but only by two days.
A spokesman for the Qatari government said: “The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip.”
The further pause will allow the release of more of those nearly 200 Israeli hostages still being held in a labyrinth of underground tunnels beneath Gaza.
But he warned that military operations in Gaza would resume with ‘full force’ whenever the truce period did come to an end.
The agreed additional two day pause may therefore see another 20 Israeli hostages returned. There were also hopes the truce could be extended even further.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell called for the extension to be made more lasting.”The pause should be extended to make it sustainable and long lasting while working for a political solution,” he said at a meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona.
And Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg also called for the ‘humanitarian pause’ in fighting to be extended. The UK Government will also help drive forward a new political process for peace in Gaza, a Foreign Office minister said.
Andrew Mitchell said: “I think the point that he makes, particularly about prisoners re-offending, underlines the importance of us pursuing every possible way of getting on to a political track.
“And when this ghastly violence finishes, or is significantly diminished everyone must bend every conceivable sinew to drive forward a new political process for peace.”
But as efforts to secure an even longer ceasefire continued, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi is set to travel to New York to host a meeting of the United Nations Security Council later this week, as international attempts to mediate the conflict gather pace.
Meanwhile, there were again joyous scenes for those Israelis newly released.
Reunited with their loved ones and enjoying a full day of freedom for the first time in 50 days, many could not contain their emotions.
Her overjoyed relatives were filmed running towards her in hospital and embracing her following her release. In a statement, the family said they were all “very excited by Maya’s return to us”, but added they still long for Itay’s “imminent return home”.
“This is a complex time and we are now undergoing the necessary steps in different areas to enable Maya’s optimal acclimation and full medical treatment.
“We need some time in order to accurately address various needs, and understand our current situation,” the family said.
The statement added that “we ask the public, who has supported and strengthened us thus far, to pray for Itay’s, and of course all the other hostages’, speedy return home”.
Pictures were also released of the moment four-year-old hostage Abigail Edan was reunited with her family after more than a month in Hamas captivity.
She watched as Hamas gunmen killed her mother at the Kibbutz Kfar Aza on 7 October. Moments later, her father – Roy Edan – was shot dead protecting his daughter.
Mother Maayan Zin was also pictured hugging her daughters Dafna, 15, and Ella, 8, Elyakim after their release from Hamas captivity.
He added that all the released hostages were still in hospital.”The only thing we know is that physically they are well. Apart from that we haven’t heard anything,” Mr Celniker said.
At the same time, one Filipino and 17 Thai hostages have also been released, after separate negations with Hamas.
The terror group’s attacks on 7 October killed some 1,200 Israeli people, with around a further 240 taken hostage.
