The Israel-Hamas prisoner deal was extended. What comes next?

Israel and Hamas agreed Monday to extend a temporary ceasefire under which dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners have been released from captivity.

The deal will continue the initial four-day humanitarian pause in fighting through this coming Thursday morning, with the potential for further extensions. The Qatar-mediated agreement is the longest break in hostilities since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing over 1,200 people, and the Israel Defense Forces launched an air and ground assault that has devastated large parts of northern Gaza and killed more than 13,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The pause has allowed Palestinian civilians to safely access humanitarian goods like food, water, medical supplies, and other basic necessities amid the critical lack caused by the war.

Monday’s extension, then, is good news for anyone concerned about the humanitarian conditions and plight of prisoners and hostages. But the bigger questions about the war’s path and the future of Gaza remain as unclear as they were when this pause began.