Int’l community must accompany Israelis, Palestinians towards ‘sustainable peace’ & universal rights

The Israeli government said Monday it had put Hamas “on notice” that an “option for an extension” of the truce in the Gaza Strip was open. “We want to receive another additional 50 hostages beyond tonight on our way to bringing everyone home,” government spokesman Eylon Levy told reporters, announcing the move. The terms of the truce agreement pausing the fighting in the Gaza Strip say it can be extended beyond its initial four-day term as long as 10 hostages are released for each extra day, with three times as many Palestinians freed in return. As such, another 50 hostages would imply a five-day extension. Hamas has signalled its willingness to extend the truce, with a source telling AFP on Sunday that the group had informed mediators they were open to prolonging it by “two to four days”. As the Israeli government is offering Hamas the ‘option’ to extend the truce, FRANCE 24’s Genie Godula is joined by Yossi Mekelberg, Associate Fellow of MENA Programme at Chatham House in London.