Mediators race to extend Israel-Hamas temporary truce as expiry looms

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A temporary truce between Israel and Hamas has entered its final hours with mediators racing to reach an agreement on another extension after a final exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, AFP reports.

The six-day halt to fighting ends on Thursday morning local time, with a last group of hostages freed from Gaza overnight in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

There is pressure for both sides to extend the pause to allow more hostage releases and additional aid into devastated Gaza, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arriving in Israel for talks Wednesday night.

The truce agreement allows for extensions if Hamas can release another 10 hostages a day, and a source close to the group said on Wednesday that it was willing to prolong the pause by four days.

But a source from the group later said it was not satisfied with Israel’s proposals for an extension.

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