Hamas releases 2 more hostages

Hamas released two more hostages Thursday, as the Palestinian militant organization and Israel agreed to extend a temporary cease-fire by another day.

More Israeli hostages are expected to be released Thursday, the Israeli military said, adding to the more than 70 Israeli hostages freed over the past week. More than 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, all women and teenagers, have been released in exchange for the hostages.

The cease-fire deal — which started last Friday after weeks of negotiations between the U.S., Qatar, Israel and Hamas — was set to expire Monday but is now in its seventh day. It has been extended by a day for every additional 10 hostages released.

About 240 hostages, including U.S. citizens, were captured by Hamas at the outset of war with Israel, which began with a surprise attack on Israeli border communities Oct. 7.

More than 13,300 Palestinians, including many children, have been killed since the start of the conflict, according to health officials in Gaza.

The Associated Press noted that the toll is likely higher, as Gaza officials have only sporadically updated the count since mid-November.

The Biden administration has urged more precision by the Israeli military when it resumes its air bombardment in Gaza after the cease-fire eventually ends. But U.S. and Israeli leaders said they are open to an extension of the cease-fire deal in order to free more hostages.

“This process is producing results,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday. “It’s important, and we hope that it can continue.”

About 1,200 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, mostly in the Oct. 7 attack.

Israel has vowed to resume its offensive in Gaza when the cease-fire does expire, though the country faces international pressure to limit civilian casualties and better support the hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced from their homes.

“As soon as Hamas stops releasing mothers, we’re coming for the fathers. As soon as it stops releasing daughters, we’re coming for the sons,” Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said. “We are going to continue putting unrelenting military pressure on Hamas to release everyone.”

The Israeli government identified the two hostages released Thursday as 21-year-old Mia Shem and 40-year-old Amit Soussana.

The Associated Press contributed.