Egypt is in constant communication with all parties in order to extend the four-day truce between the Palestinian and Israeli sides for one or two more days, according to Diaa Rashwan, Head of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS).
Rashwan noted that the truce’s extension would mean the release of more Israeli captives in Gaza and Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
The head of SIS further explained that Egypt has so far received positive indicators from all parties on the possibility of an extension to the truce.
According to Rashwan, Egypt received a list of 13 captives in Gaza and 39 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons who are set to be released Saturday as part of the truce.
In addition, Rashwan disclosed that 50 trucks carrying humanitarian aid bound for northern Gaza crossed into the strip through the Rafah border crossing Saturday.
On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas reached a truce agreement on a 4-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza through Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediation.
The truce agreement involves a stop to all hostilities in Gaza and the entry of humanitarian aid to 2.4 million Palestinians in the besieged strip.
The agreement stipulates the release of 50 Israeli captives, including women and children.
In return, 150 Palestinian political prisoners, including women and children, would be released from Israeli detention.
The agreement also allows room for an extension and the release of more captives and prisoners.
On Friday, as per the agreement, Hamas released 13 of its Israeli captives and Israel released 39 Palestinian political prisoners in its jails.
Moreover, as per an Egyptian mediation, Hamas also released 11 Asian workers – 10 Thai and one Philippine – who were taken captive on 7 October.
A total of 200 aid trucks, carrying food, water, medical supplies, and fuel, entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Friday.
On Saturday, the spokesperson for the civil defense forces in Gaza told Al Jazeera that retrieving the bodies of thousands of Palestinians who were buried under the rubble due to Israeli bombardment cannot be done in the four-day window of the truce.
