Official Says Israel Prepared To Extend Pause In Fighting For 9 Days

Barak Ravid at Axios has reported that, according to an Israeli official, "Israel is ready to extend the pause in fighting in Gaza for up to 9 days if Hamas commits to release 10 additional hostages every day."

• The current extension to the pause is due to expire on November 29. An extension to the pause would be a major breakthrough which would allow for exchange of additional hostages and further delay the resumption of fighting in Gaza.
• The New York Times reports that the extended pause has, "amplified uncertainly" about the next steps in the conflict, but also, "raised expectations that both sides will agree to more short extensions. And if the cease-fire does grow longer, there will be greater external pressure on Israel to make it permanent, and greater internal pressure to end it."
• Al Jazeera reports that a hostage-exchange is currently underway and the truce appears to be holding despite earlier reports of skirmishes within Gaza: "The [Israeli] military said it had received word from the Red Cross that the captives on their way to Israel include 10 Israelis and two foreigners."
• US policy of committing largely unconditional support to Israel appears unlikely to change in the near-term. CNN's Manu Raju reports: "Many Senate Ds resisting calls for conditioning aid to Israel. Sen. [Richard] Blumenthal [D-CT] says there’s already an “understanding that they will follow international law like any other nation that we aid... I see unnecessary conditions as potentially straightjacketing Israel.”