Talks intensify to extend Israel-Hamas truce after more hostages, prisoners freed

A Palestinian man sits in an armchair outside a destroyed building in Gaza City on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, the sixth day of the temporary cease-fire between Hamas and Israel. International mediators on Wednesday worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel's air and ground offensive. (AP Photo/Mohammed Hajjar)

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters): International pressure grew on Israel and Hamas to extend a truce on Thursday (Nov 30) after another exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and humanitarian aid was delivered to the besieged Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, 16 more hostages were released by Hamas on the final day of a two-day truce extension, which is set to expire early on Thursday. Israel's prison service said it released 30 more Palestinians from its jails in a sixth round of swaps. The exchanges are a core component of the arrangement, which was initially set at four days.