NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called for the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza to be extended to facilitate the release of more hostages and the delivery of additional humanitarian aid.
"I call for an extension of the pause," the 64-year-old Norwegian said during a press conference in Brussels on Monday. "This will allow for much-needed relief to the people of Gaza and the release of more hostages."
Stoltenberg also warned that recent missile and drone attacks on US bases in the Middle East risked triggering a wider regional war.
"We have seen drone and rocket strikes on US positions in Syria and Iraq, as well as attacks on commercial shipping," he said. "This underlines the risk of escalation."
The four-day ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, is set to expire early on Tuesday morning. In addition to a cessation of military hostilities, the deal calls for the staggered release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
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By Monday morning, Hamas had freed 58 hostages (including foreign nationals) while Israel had released 117 Palestinians. An Israeli Government spokesperson told Reuters that Hamas still holds 184 hostages in Gaza, including 14 foreign nationals and 80 Israelis with dual citizenship.
Reuters also cited an anonymous Israeli official who confirmed that Israel will extend the truce by up to five additional days, so long as Hamas releases a minimum of ten hostages each day. The official added that Israel would release three Palestinian prisoners for each freed Israeli hostage.
The agency also cited a "Palestinian official familiar with the truce talks" who said that Hamas is open to extending the truce, although "a final decision has not yet been reached."
