Hamas on Tuesday released another dozen hostages it had been holding for nearly two months, even as members of the Palestinian militant group engaged in a firefight with Israeli troops in northern Gaza that threatened to undermine the fragile cease-fire.
Israel confirmed that Hamas released 10 Israelis and two foreign nationals from Gaza, bringing the total number of hostages released to 81. Since the cease-fire went into effect last week, Israel in exchange has released at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and has temporarily halted its military campaign to crush Hamas, which began shortly after the militant group’s Oct. 7 rampage. That assault killed more than 1,200 Israelis and resulted in more than 240 people being taken prisoner.
The foreign nationals released, according to Qatari officials, were from Thailand.
After Tuesday’s releases, about 160 hostages remain in the custody of Hamas and some smaller Palestinian militant groups, including a small number of U.S. citizens.
The cease-fire was set to expire Monday but was extended for two days. CIA Director William J. Burns traveled to Qatar on Tuesday to discuss with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts the idea of extending the truce in exchange for the release of more hostages. One proposal reportedly being discussed is a three-day extension of the cease-fire in exchange for the release of 10 Hamas hostages each day.
Qatar is a key mediator between Israel and Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region later this week as part of the Biden administration’s widening effort to secure an extended truce.
SEE ALSO: Israel says Hamas violating cease-fire by attacking IDF troops in Gaza
But Tuesday also brought fresh reminders of just how delicate the situation is. Israel, which has made no secret of its intention to resume its military campaign in Gaza when the truce ends, accused Hamas of violating the terms of the cease-fire after three explosive devices were detonated in Gaza near Israel Defense Forces personnel.
“In one of those locations, terrorists also opened fire at the troops, who responded with fire,” IDF officials said on their Telegram social media page. “A number of soldiers were lightly injured during the incidents.”
Hamas accused Israel of firing first. It said the IDF committed a “clear violation” of the terms of the cease-fire, though the group did not offer further detail.
The dueling accusations did not seem to immediately undermine the broader cease-fire. But Israeli officials stressed that they were preparing to resume military operations, perhaps as soon as this week, and it’s unclear whether Jerusalem would be willing to suspend hostilities at another point in the future.
“We are in the midst of days during which we are acting to return all of the female and male hostages that it is possible to release from captivity. And we will continue to use all means possible so that all of them are returned to their homes,” said Benny Gantz, former Israeli defense minister and a member of the country’s war cabinet. “After the cease-fire, the fire will resume. The entire war cabinet is unified on this position. There is no other option.”
At the Pentagon, officials said the U.S. won’t tell Israel how to conduct its operation in Gaza. But they also left little doubt that the Biden administration is privately pressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do all he can to avoid the kinds of civilian casualties and physical destruction seen during the counterattack in the northern part of the Gaza enclave.
SEE ALSO: Israeli spokesman: Troops are following the rules of war in Gaza fight with Hamas
“We certainly do not want to see innocent civilians being harmed or impacted to a greater extent than they have been already,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.
Brig. Gen. Ryder also revealed that the U.S. military has paused all surveillance drone flights over Gaza while the truce is in effect, saying it was part of the deal struck by Israeli and Hamas negotiators.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says that more than 15,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its military offensive. Those numbers have not been independently confirmed.
The U.S. is ramping up its efforts to get humanitarian aid to the more than 2 million residents of Gaza, hundreds of thousands of whom have been displaced by the fighting. Brig. Gen. Ryder said that U.S. military aircraft on Tuesday transported nearly 25 tons of United Nations humanitarian aid to Egypt, where it will travel by ground across the border into Gaza. It’s the first time American military aircraft have been used to move aid into the region.
The Biden administration also came under fresh political pressure Tuesday to maintain strong support for Israel and to crack down on anyone inside the administration who may be undercutting that position.
Earlier this month, more than 500 administration officials reportedly signed an open letter to President Biden questioning the administration’s strong support for Israel’s war in Gaza and calling on the White House to push for a lasting cease-fire.
Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, responded Tuesday with his own letter to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel and U.S. Inspectors Generals, questioning whether those officials may have crossed the line into political advocacy.
“It is reasonable to suspect that these government employees could have coordinated the letter with partisan political actors and/or groups, such as the [Democratic National Committee], while on government time, using government resources,” Mr. Rubio wrote. “If this suspicion were to be true, it would constitute major violation of the Hatch Act, which places certain prohibitions on partisan political activities for federal employees while at work.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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