Negotiators are working feverishly to renew the pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza as a senior Israeli official reiterated plans to resume the offensive unless the Palestinian group agreed to release more hostages, Reuters reports.

After two last-minute extensions, the enemies marked on Thursday the seventh day of a Qatari-mediated truce with the exchange of eight hostages and 30 Palestinian prisoners as well as the infusion of more humanitarian aid into the shattered Gaza Strip.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators, who succeeded in achieving the earlier deals, were working to negotiate a further truce of two days, Egypt’s official state media agency said.

Mark Regev, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel was open to continuing the ceasefire if Hamas committed to further hostage releases. “We’re ready for all possibilities…. Without that, we’re going back to the combat,” he said on CNN.

Opinion

Editorial

Shifting climate tone
08 May, 2026

Shifting climate tone

PAKISTAN’S climate debate is finally beginning to move beyond post-disaster calls for aid and donor conferences....
Honour and impunity
08 May, 2026

Honour and impunity

THE Sindh Assembly’s discussion on karo-kari this week reminds us of the enduring nature of ‘honour’ killings...
No real change
08 May, 2026

No real change

THE Indian sports ministry’s move to allow Pakistani players and teams to participate in multilateral events ...
A breakthrough?
07 May, 2026

A breakthrough?

The whole world would welcome an end to this pointless war.
Missed opportunity
07 May, 2026

Missed opportunity

A BIG opportunity to industrialise Pakistan has just passed us by. This has been reconfirmed by the investment...
Punishing dissent
07 May, 2026

Punishing dissent

THE Sindh government’s treatment of the Aurat March this week was a disgraceful assault on democratic rights. What...