Israel has agreed to a proposal for a temporary ceasefire extension, proposed by President Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, during the period encompassing both Ramadan and Passover, as announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Saturday night. The announcement came shortly after the expiration of the first temporary ceasefire agreement at midnight local time.
Netanyahu’s office indicated that the extension was accepted upon realizing that additional time was necessary to work towards a permanent ceasefire solution. As part of this extension proposal, half of the hostages currently held, along with the remains of deceased hostages still in Gaza, will be released, with the remainder contingent upon the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.
In a related development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seen meeting with the U.S. Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Jerusalem. According to the terms of the agreement, if negotiations prove to be ineffective, Israel has the option to resume fighting after the 42nd day of the initial ceasefire. However, Hamas has reportedly maintained its firm stance against the framework considered necessary for achieving a permanent ceasefire. Israel has pointed out that Hamas has made similar accusations against them.
Reports have emerged concerning Israeli hostages Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi, and Or Levy, who had been held by Hamas since October 7, 2023. They were recently handed over to the Red Cross in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on February 8, 2025.
The Israeli government stated that they would commence negotiations on all aspects of Witkoff’s framework should Hamas express agreement. If a new ceasefire arrangement is not reached, hostilities are anticipated to recommence on Sunday. Witkoff’s proposal suggests that bridging the divide between the positions of the two parties is currently unfeasible, necessitating additional time for negotiations surrounding a permanent ceasefire.
During the 42-day initial phase of the ceasefire that began in mid-January, a total of 38 hostages were released in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. A video released by Hamas indicated that the remaining hostages in Gaza would only be released through another exchange for Palestinian prisoners, which aligns with the original phased ceasefire agreement framework. Efforts towards a permanent ceasefire, primarily taking place in Cairo, have reportedly encountered significant setbacks.
