Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed to extend their war truce by at least one day, just minutes before the six-day truce was set to expire.
The Israeli military stated in a statement that the cease-fire would be maintained as negotiators worked to free more hostages held in Gaza in return for Palestinian prisoners.
The truce, which was extended from its planned four-day duration, has offered the first respite in the shelling of Gaza, with most of the 2.3 million-person coastal region turned to wasteland in response to Hamas's violent incursion into southern Israel on October 7.
"In light of the mediators' efforts to continue the process of releasing the hostages, and subject to the terms of the framework, the operational pause will continue," stated an Israeli statement issued minutes before the temporary cease-fire was set to expire.
The truce would be extended for a seventh day, according to Hamas, which released 16 hostages in return for 30 Palestinian prisoners on Wednesday.
Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has stated that his country is eager to see the UN Security Council implement measures to ensure the flow of "sufficient humanitarian aid, and to secure its delivery without any impediments."
According to Al Jazeera, Sheikh Mohammed stated that it should be enforced "without double standards and preferential treatment."
"The double standards applied by the international community regarding the carnages and the crimes perpetrated by the Israeli occupation against civilians and civilian infrastructure is a stain on the conscience of humanity," he told members of the UN Security Council.
Speaking on the extended cease-fire, which Qatar assisted in mediating, the minister stated that the accord had allowed more "critically needed" humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
He also proposed developing a mechanism to supervise the supply of humanitarian supplies through "all the crossings" into the enclave, and he urged Israel to abide by its obligations under international law.