ISRAEL FACES PRESSURE TO EXTEND TRUCE

The truce between Israel and Hamas entered its final 24 hours Monday, November 27, with militant group saying it was willing to extend the pause after it freed more hostages.

The pause that began Friday has seen dozens of hostages freed, with over 100 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in return.

Attention now has turned to whether the truce will be extended before its scheduled end early on Tuesday morning.

Under the truce, 50 hostages held by the militants were to be freed over four days in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Today, November 27, Israel faces enormous pressure from the families of hostages, as well as allies, to extend the truce to secure more releases.

Three successive days of hostage releases have buoyed spirits in Israel, with tearful reunions weeks after Hamas militants poured across the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

In response, Israel launched a military campaign to destroy Hamas, killing nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians and including thousands of children, according to Gaza’s Hamas government.

The third group of hostages released Sunday included a four-year-old American citizen called Abigail whose parents were both murdered in the Hamas attacks.