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Israel: analysts say army needs to extend truce to ‘revitalise’ troops

November 28, 2023 at 12:39 pm

Israeli soldiers withdraw after a pre-dawn raid into the Balata refugee camp in eastern Nablus city, in the north of the West Bank on November 23, 2023 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]

Israeli analysts said yesterday that the Israeli army is interested in extending the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip to “revitalise” its troops, as much as Hamas is interested in extending it.

Military analyst Amir Bar Shalom of Israel’s Army Radio said that during the negotiations between Hamas and Israel regarding the exchange of prisoners, mediated by Qatar, understandings had been reached about extending the truce for another two to four days, despite the absence of a signed agreement. “Hamas is able to gather about 50 additional detainees to release them under the terms of the current truce agreement,” noted Bar Shalom.

According to Amos Harel of Haaretz, “The ceasefire will continue for at least several more days.” He pointed out that Hamas has informed Qatar that it could gather “90 detainees”. The Israeli army, said Harel, does not feel that resuming the military operation is urgent.

“Although delaying the resumption of the war is associated with the risk that Hamas will reorganise its forces,” he added, “the Israeli army also needs time to revitalise its forces and prepare them for the next stage.”

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