TRANSCRIPT
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been extended by another day, with the announcement coming just minutes before it was set to expire.
Egyptian and Qatari negotiators are reportedly now pushing for a new two-day extension.
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, Majed Al-Ansari, says 30 Palestinians prisoners are being released in exchange for 10 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.
It's the seventh such exchange to be carried out during the truce.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has delivered an address from Tel Aviv, saying Israel must put protections in place for Gaza civilians before its resumes its military operations.
"In my meetings today with the Prime Minister today and senior Israeli officials, I made clear that before Israel resumes major military operations it must put in place humanitarian civilian protection plans that minimise further casualties of innocent Palestinians... But Israel has one of the most sophisticated militaries in the world. It is capable of neutralising the threat posed by Hamas, while minimising harm to innocent men, women and children. And it has an obligation to do so. The way Israel defends itself matters."
Mr Blinken met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials of his government, and separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
He says the Israeli Prime Minister agreed with the need for the approach to act in accordance with international law.
Mr Blinken also stressed the need for more aid to enter into Gaza.
It follows reports many Palestinians are resorting to cooking oil to power their cars, due to a lack of fuel.
Speaking after his meeting with Mr Blinken, Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel still has every intention to eliminate Hamas.
"I just finished a meeting with American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, shortly after Hamas murderers murdered Israelis here in Jerusalem, and I told him: 'This is the same Hamas. This is the same Hamas that carried out the terrible massacre on October 7, the same Hamas that tries to murder us everywhere'. I told him: 'We swore, and I swore, to eliminate Hamas. Nothing will stop us'. We will continue this war until we achieve the three goals - to release all our abductees, to eliminate Hamas completely and to ensure that Gaza will never again face such a threat."
Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians have gathered in protest against Mr Blinken's visit to Ramallah.
This man, Jamal Juma, was among them.
"We are standing here as a Palestinian people, as the civil society and all the Palestinians, to send a very strong message to Blinken and also to the Palestinian President that Blinken is not welcome here in Palestine. He is a war criminal, he has participated in the genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza."
Israeli officials have named eight out of the ten hostages set to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Included are two children and six women.
Among them is Mia Schem, a 21-year-old French-Israeli dual national, who was captured at the Supernova music festival.
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his 'great joy' on social media at Ms Schem's return and said France is working with its partners to release the remaining hostages.
So far 97 hostages have been released during the truce.
Israeli Defence Force spokesman Daniel Hagari says they're working to ensure the release of more.
"During the night we insisted on the implementation of the current outline for the return of the women and children. And so it will be done tomorrow as well; the mediators Qatar and Egypt are also committed to the implementation of the agreement so that the truce continues. The IDF is ready for the continuation of the war. We are ready to attack at any time, including tonight and tomorrow - we are ready to attack at any time."
In other developments, Hamas has claimed responsibility for a shooting at a bus stop in Jerusalem.
Two gunmen are said to have opened fire, killing a least three people and injuring another six.
They have since been shot dead by off-duty soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the attack, saying the homes of the two gunmen will be demolished.
The White House has also condemned the attack.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says while the shooting doesn't violate the ceasefire agreement, he believes it's a stark reminder of the enemy Israel is facing.
"I don't think there's been any effect - not that I not that I have heard or seen - effect on the on the deal extending the deal, by the violence in Jerusalem. I've seen nothing that indicates an effect on that. And again, we do not support a permanent ceasefire at this time. We do support the idea of humanitarian pauses. And we would love to see, as I said at the outset, we want to see the seven day pause turn into eight, nine, ten and beyond. But ultimately, that's going to take Israel and Hamas to agree to the parameters of extending that deal."
In Australia, some pro-Palestinian demonstrators have faced criticism for targeting a Melbourne hotel where Israeli families of those killed or taken hostage have been staying.
The protesters reportedly gathered in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Melbourne earlier this week before being ejected by police.
The demonstration has attracted bipartisan condemnation, with opposition Leader Peter Dutton calling it "an act of depravity" that has no place in Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told Parliament the action was "beyond contempt" and "did nothing to advance the Palestinian cause or justice".
"But at the moment what we are seeing here is humanity just cast aside. There is no excuse - no circumstances - where people should organise a demonstration against grieving families. None. None."
Meanwhile, Education Minister Jason Clare - whose electorate of Blaxland has one of the largest populations of Muslim Australians in the country - told the Seven Network both Jewish and Palestinian Australians are scared and angry.
He said it demonstrates a need to show compassion.
"We can't change what's happening on the other side of the world, but we've got to keep this country together. And that means turning the temperature down a little bit and working, Jewish Australians, Muslim Australians, all of us, to keep this country together."
