Hamas hostages released as ceasefire enters final hours

A young boy in red glasses raises a hand and starts running. Ohad Munder, aged 9, was pulled into his father’s outstretched arms in a video clip released after he was freed by Hamas along with his mother and grandmother on the first day of a four-day ceasefire deal. A total of 58 hostages, mainly women and children, have been freed since Friday, in exchange for the release of 117 Palestinian prisoners. The brief halt in fighting has also allowed aid to be delivered into the enclave. There is a chance the truce could be extended, with each ten hostages freed by Hamas securing an extra day’s pause in fighting – much depends on whether Hamas can locate more than 40 women and children said to be held by other groups in Gaza, Qatar’s prime minister told the FT. Joe Biden says his goal is to “keep this pause going beyond tomorrow”.