Negotiators including from Qatar and the US pressed to maintain the truce agreement for Gaza that’s due to end in hours, with the prospect of an extension for at least two more days increasingly likely,

With hours left to go before a truce in Gaza expires, international mediators worked to extend it to facilitate the release of militant-held hostages and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The cease-fire has paused the deadliest fighting between Israel and Palestinians in decades.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire until Wednesday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war.

The Israeli military said rocket sirens sounded Friday in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip just 15 minutes after Israel and Hamas began a pause in fighting. The Israeli military didn’t say whether rockets were fired from Gaza,

The latest swap of Hamas militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel took place Tuesday evening as part of a cease-fire agreement between the warring sides. Ten Israeli hostages — nine women and a 17-year-old girl — and two Thais were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza and were back in Israeli territory,