As part of moves to get more time for negotiating the release of hostages captured by Islamist Hamas organisation, the United States has advised Israel to postpone its planned ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Local media reports that the extension of ground offensive continues amidst fresh warning by Israelis military authorities directing the civilian population o vacate the conflict ridden Gaza Strip.
The U.S. government hopes to obtain more time for negotiations to secure the release of more than 200 hostages including Israeli and foreign nationals held by Hamas in Gaza.
Report said the move was aimed at avoiding further civilian casualties and to ensure that more humanitarian aid reaches the population in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced the planned ground offensive following the killing of over 1,400 Israelis and kidnap of about 200 hundreds others in a shocking terrorist attacks on the State of Israeli on October 7.
Reprisal bombings on Hamas locations in Gaza have so far led to the killing of more than 5,000 people in the conflict since the beginning of latest face-off between Israel and Hamas.
Surprisingly, Hamas released two U.S. hostages on Friday which prompted the U.S. government to advise Israel to postpone the ground offensive, the report said.
The Islamist group, designated as a terrorist organisation in the U.S. and the European Union, had warned that a ground offensive would make it very unlikely for further hostages to be released.
These negotiations primarily take place through Qatar, which has close ties with the political leaders of Hamas.
