TEL AVIV, December 1. /TASS/. Combat operations in the Gaza Strip will continue for several days, until Hamas says it is ready to release the hostages it is keeping, the Israeli Kan radion station said, citing an unnamed official.

According to the official, "talks [with Hamas] will be conducted under fire" until the militants say they are ready to release the Israeli hostages, Kan said.

On November 22, Hamas announced an agreement with Israel, which was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, on a four-day humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire took effect at 7:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on November 24. The deal stipulated the release of Israeli women and children being held hostage in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons.

Israel said it was ready to extend the truce for an additional day in exchange for the release of ten more hostages, vowing to free 30 Palestinian prisoners every time. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on the morning of December 1 that Hamas had violated the truce in Gaza and opened fire on Israeli territory, thus prompting the IDF to resume combat operations in the Gaza Strip.