33 Palestinians released from prison in exchange for 11 Israelis on 4th day of Gaza truce

The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced the release of 33 Palestinians and 11 Israelis on the fourth day of the Gaza truce on Monday night.

The ministry said in a statement that, within the framework of the commitments of the fourth day of the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip, 33 Palestinian civilians were released today, in exchange for the release of 11 Israeli detainees from Gaza.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said through its account on “X”: “Those released from Israeli prisons include 30 minors and 3 women, while the Israelis released from Gaza include 3 of French citizenship, 2 of German citizenship, and 6 Argentines were handed over to the Red Cross.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will pay his third wartime visit to the Middle East this week, a US official said Monday, just as mediators announced an extension of a truce in Gaza.

Blinken will also head this week to Dubai to represent the United States at the COP28 climate summit, which President Joe Biden is skipping after two previous years of attending to highlight US leadership.

A senior US official, speaking as Blinken arrived in Brussels for NATO meetings, said the top US diplomat would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.

"In his meetings in the Middle East, the secretary will stress the need to sustain the increased flow of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and improve protection to civilians in Gaza," the official said.

"The secretary will discuss with partners in the region the principles he laid out for the future of Gaza and the need to establish an independent Palestinian state," the official said.

The trip comes as mediator Qatar announced a 48-hour extension of a truce between Israel and Hamas, opening the way for further releases of hostages and the arrival of humanitarian aid into the war-battered Gaza Strip.

There was no immediate confirmation from Israel, which has vowed to keep up the fight to destroy Hamas.

The United States has been pressing Israel to work with the Palestinian Authority and rein in settlers who have attacked Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, but Netanyahu has been a long-time critic of Abbas and of a two-state solution.

Agencies