Israel-Gaza truce enters fifth day; UN chief calls for further talks toward ceasefire

GAZA, Nov 28 (SABAH):  The humanitarian truce deal that has brought a pause to the fighting in the Gaza Strip entered its fifth day, after a two-day extension was announced Monday.

The extension raises hopes that Palestinian militant group Hamas will release more than the 69 hostages it has so far returned out of the nearly 240 captives it has held in the Gaza Strip since their abduction during the terror attacks of Oct. 7.

Israel has previously said it would consider lengthening the humanitarian pause in fighting by one day for every 10 freed hostages, although it was unclear if these were the terms agreed in the latest extension.

Elsewhere, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for further dialogue and an ultimate humanitarian cease-fire in the war, along with the unconditional release of all hostages.

“Seven weeks of hostilities in Gaza and Israel have taken an appalling toll that has shocked the world. For the past four days, the guns have fallen silent,” he said.