Deal to extend truce raises hopes of dozens more hostages released

Qatar and Egypt broker agreement UN chief hails as glimpse of humanity’

- Jason Burke

A deal to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas by two days has been agreed after a frantic dash by mediators with just over 12 hours remaining before hostilities in Gaza were due to resume.

Hamas said it had agreed to the extension of the four-day truce by 48 hours after the intervention of Qatar and Egypt, the principal mediators for the initial agreement, and with the same conditions.

There was no immediate confirmation from Israel, but António Guterres, the UN secretary general, hailed the extension as "a glimpse of hope and humanity in the middle of the darkness of war" nonetheless.

Fears are widespread that any reprieve from the conflict that has devastated swaths of Gaza and killed thousands of civilians will be brief.

Yoav Gallant, Israel's defence minister, told troops yesterday that when fighting recommenced its "strength will be greater, and it will take place throughout the entire strip", adding: "You now have a few days, we will return to fighting, we will use the same amount of power and more." Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has pledged to crush Hamas.

International pressure for an extension of the ceasefire had been intense, with the US, the UN and the EU's most senior diplomat calling on Israel not to restart its offensive in Gaza when the current truce ended. It was due to expire this morning.

The terms of any extension were the daily release of 10 Israeli hostages from among those seized by Hamas during its bloody assault on southern Israel last month and of 30 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, officials close to the talks said earlier yesterday. Also, desperately needed humanitarian aid would continue to flow into Gaza.

The White House welcomed the agreement to extend the truce.