The Israeli military says Hamas has released 17 more hostages on the third day of the truce.  IDF: 14 Israeli and three foreign hostages with Red Cross – The Israel Defence Forces has said 14 Israeli and three foreign hostages have been transferred to the Red Cross. That is based on information “received from the Red Cross”, the IDF added.

Hamas has said it has handed 13 Israeli hostages, three Thai nationals and one Russian to the Red Cross. Palestinian prisoners released by Israel – A Sky News team has witnessed buses leaving Ofer military prison, as more Palestinian prisoners have been released as part of the truce agreement. It is understood that 39 prisoners have been released.

Crowds are gathered in Ramallah, in the West Bank, including relatives of the prisoners, celebrating their release. Analysis: ‘Real hope’ that the truce can be extended – Reporting from the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv, Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall says that as each day of the truce progresses, the mood there turns from relief in the morning to trepidation later.

“The days are taking on quite a familiar pattern here, the morning is a feeling of – I suppose – relief that a hostage release has gone ahead the night before,” he says. “But as we get closer to 4 pm or 5 pm, there is that nervousness over whether that will happen again.” While disagreements caused a delay to hostage releases last night, they were overcome, Bunkall says, which is “quite a positive sign”.

“Despite the fragility of the truce, despite the lack of trust between Israel and Hamas, they were able with mediation from Qatar and Egypt to overcome those disagreements,” he adds. “So I think it should be reassuring that today the process seems to have gone quite smoothly because it’s all really going to time.” Those disagreements “could have led to a total breakdown in the truce”, he says.

“It tells us that, for now at least, Hamas and Israel are both content with the situation as it is and seeing the truce play out for as long as possible,” Israel says it will be open to extending the pause in fighting – which is due to end on Tuesday morning – for 24 hours each time Hamas releases 10 hostages. Bunkall says “There is a real hope in the international community that something can be done to extend it further”.

Courtesy: Sky News