Israel Weighs Extending 42-Day Truce in Gaza
JERUSALEM: Israel is considering prolonging the 42-day ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the return of the remaining 63 prisoners, while postponing discussions on the long-term governance of the region.
The initial ceasefire agreement, brokered with U.S. backing and mediated by Egypt and Qatar, took effect on January 19 and is set to expire on Saturday. However, the next steps remain uncertain.
“We are proceeding with caution,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel stated during a press briefing in Jerusalem when asked whether the truce could continue without moving into the second phase of negotiations, which would involve more complex issues such as ending the conflict entirely and determining Gaza’s future administration.
“There has been no definitive agreement on that yet, but it remains a possibility,” Haskel added. “We have not ruled out maintaining the current ceasefire, but our priority is securing the safe return of our [prisoners].”
If a consensus is not reached by Friday, the situation could take one of two turns: hostilities may resume, or the truce might persist without further prisoner exchanges, with Israel potentially restricting aid deliveries into Gaza.
According to two officials involved in the negotiations, neither Israel nor Hamas has made significant progress in formalizing the second phase of the ceasefire.
“I don’t see such an agreement coming together in just a few days,” Haskel remarked. “This requires detailed discussions and will take time.”
Under the initial deal, 33 Israeli prisoners were released in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, with Israeli forces withdrawing from certain positions in Gaza. So far, 29 Israeli prisoners and five Thai nationals have been freed, while hundreds of Palestinian detainees have been released.
However, tensions have risen over the release of an additional 600 Palestinian prisoners, which Israel has yet to proceed with.
Escalation in the Jenin Refugee Camp
Meanwhile, Israeli forces have been carrying out large-scale demolitions in the Jenin refugee camp, reducing much of the area to rubble and creating wide roads through what was once a dense network of alleyways. These tactics, similar to those used in Gaza, suggest preparations for a prolonged military presence.
Since the operation began—just a day after the Gaza ceasefire agreement—around 40,000 Palestinians from Jenin and Tulkarm in the northern West Bank have fled their homes.
“Jenin is experiencing what happened in Jabalia,” said Basheer Matahen, spokesperson for the Jenin municipality, referring to the northern Gaza refugee camp that was devastated by Israeli military operations. “The camp is now unlivable.”
According to Matahen, at least 12 bulldozers are demolishing homes and infrastructure in Jenin. The camp, originally built to house Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war—an event known among Palestinians as the Nakba—has been severely impacted.
Military engineers have reportedly set up an area spanning nearly an acre, bringing in water tanks and generators, signaling long-term preparations.
While the Israeli military has not issued an official statement, Defense Minister Israel Katz previously directed troops to prepare for an extended presence, stating the camp had been “cleared for the coming year” and that displaced residents would not be allowed to return.
The ongoing military campaign in the northern West Bank is one of the most extensive since the Second Intifada over two decades ago. Israeli forces have deployed multiple brigades, supported by drones, helicopters, and—for the first time in years—heavy battle tanks.
