NEW YORK, December 1. /TASS/. Talks on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza continue even after Israel’s move to resume combat operations in the enclave, CNN reports, citing a source close to the negotiations.
According to the news outlet, "an hour past the 7 a.m. local time expiration of the truce, none of the main parties involved - Hamas, Qatar, Israel, the US or Egypt - had publicly declared a breakdown in the talks."
Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The Gaza ceasefire took effect at 7:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on November 24. The agreement stipulates the release of women and teenagers under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of women and teenagers under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons. On November 27, the parties agreed to extend the truce for two more days and on the morning of November 30, it was extended for another day. However, the Israeli army said on the morning of December 1 that Hamas had violated the truce and the Israel Defense Forces had resumed combat operations in the Gaza Strip.