Gaza pause extended by two days

Israel and Hamas are in the fourth day of a pause in fighting. That pause had been scheduled to end on Monday, but now Qatar says an agreement has been reached to add two more days.

A spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry announced the deal on social media. The country has been mediating negotiations between the two sides.

Hamas confirms it has agreed to the two-day extension, provided Israel is subject to the same conditions. Hamas has demanded that three Palestinian prisoners be released for each Israeli hostage freed.

Hamas also says it is ready to negotiate the release of Israeli soldiers.

In the past four days, Hamas has released 69 hostages, including foreign nationals, while Israel has freed 150 jailed Palestinians.

A 59-year-old Palestinian woman was released after being detained by Israeli authorities in September. She had been accused of having ties with Hamas.

The woman says her four sons are still being detained by Israel along with other Palestinians. She says while in custody, prisoners were forced to take off all of their clothes in front of guards for body checks and were tortured.

Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari says a 84-year-old woman who was released by Hamas is now in serious condition after being denied of proper medical treatment.

Hagari says "video clips of terrorists waving peacefully will not hide the viciousness of Hamas." He also says "Israeli troops are rotating outside of the Gaza strip, for rest, training, increasing their readiness for the continuation of the war."

US President Joe Biden has released a statement saying "the US will not stop until all of the hostages held by Hamas terrorists are released."

Meanwhile, American entrepreneur Elon Musk and the Israeli government announced an agreement for Musk's SpaceX to provide satellite communication services in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

But the operation of the service is conditional on Israel's approval.

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