Gaza/Washington, Nov 28 (UNI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday he was "very pleased" with the release of hostages in Gaza and that the United States was ready to continue the process for as long as possible.
"Like you, Jens [Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general], I am very pleased to see hostages returning home, coming back to be with their loved ones, and we are determined to continue that for as long as possible to bring as many people home as we possibly can," Blinken told reporters during brief remarks with Stoltenberg ahead of a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
Last week, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas on a four-day truce and an exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The first group of Israeli and foreign hostages were released from the enclave this past Friday. On Monday, Qatar announced that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas on a two-day extension of the truce.