Israel says truce with Hamas just a 'brief pause', war will continue for at least 2 months

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said that the country’s war with Hamas can go on for at least two more months following the four-day truce which commenced on Friday. “This will be a brief pause. When it ends, the fighting will continue forcefully and will create pressure that will allow the return of more hostages,” Gallant said. Meanwhile, a four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war, brokered by Qatar, entered into effect on Friday, 24 November, at 7 am local time (10:30 am IST). The pause in fighting that started on 7 October comes on the 49th day of the war, nearly seven weeks of conflict. However, the Israeli military has said that the handover process is subject to “complications” adding that there could be changes in the deal at any moment. “Nothing is finalized until it’s actually happening. And even amid the process, changes might occur at any moment,” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Thursday. As per Qatar’s foreign ministry, the “first batch” of civilian hostages would consist of 13 women and children from the same families. The number would rise up to 50 over a four-day truce, according to the deal brokered by Qatar and the US earlier this week. For each hostage, three Palestinian prisoners will be released by Israel. Over the same period, 150 Palestinian prisoners — mostly women and minors, some convicted of attempted murder — are expected to be released. In total, it would lead to an estimated 190 in the hands of Palestinian terrorists.