Hamas Seeking To Extend Truce As Ceasefire Nears End

The ceasefire, initiated on Friday, has resulted in the release of dozens of hostages, with over 100 Palestinian prisoners held on terror charges freed by Israel as part of the agreement.

Hamas is pushing for an extended truce, to give the group time to regroup amidst the devastation inflicted by Israel's relentless retaliation for its massacre of October 7. The designated terror group killed 1,200 mostly civilians and took 240 or more hostage in Gaza.

However, in spite of the fact that over 14,000 Gazans have been killed, including top Hamas commanders, and half of the strip now turned to rubble, Ali Fadavi, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), asserted on Monday that the Israeli military's perceived invincibility has diminished.

"The invincible image that Israelis had portrayed for military dominance collapsed," he said. "Several hundred individuals breached its seemingly impregnable walls, penetrating tens of kilometers into occupied Palestine."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing his forces in Gaza, conveyed a resolute stance on Sunday, stating that once hostages are released, "Nothing will stop us." He said while the hostage release continues, he would agree to one additional day for every 10 captives released but vowed to continue the war until Hamas is eradicated from the strip.

While Iran takes credit for supporting Hamas financially and militarily over the past two decades, it has refrained from direct military involvement in the current conflict. Instead, its proxies have taken the front line. Even amidst the ceasefire, Lebanese Hezbollah has continued its aggression on Israel's northern border and Yemen's Houthis have taken further actions on vessels in the Red Sea.