Israel and Hamas said Thursday they have agreed to extend the pause in fighting in Gaza for another day. Hamas freed 16 hostages and Israel released 30 imprisoned Palestinians on Wednesday and both sides are expected to release more on Thursday. Israeli officials have maintained that any continuation will be only to allow more hostages to be exchanged for prisoners and will not lead to a more permanent cease-fire. The United States had also pushed for an extension, arguing this would allow the release of more hostages held in Gaza, including Americans. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel early Thursday, and is set to hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders regarding efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and speed up the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the State Department said.
