A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas held for a fifth day on Tuesday, as the militant group released more hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war.
Israel came under pressure from the United States to better protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza if its offensive resumes.
The latest swap of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel got under way on Tuesday evening.
Israel said 10 of its citizens and two foreigners were freed by Hamas and had entered Egypt.
Mediators met in Qatar to try to extend the ceasefire beyond Wednesday.
For the first time since it began, Israel and Hamas traded accusations of a serious violation with an exchange of fire between troops and militants in northern Gaza.
But there was no indication that it would endanger the truce or the planned exchanges of hostages held in Gaza for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Israel has vowed to resume the war with “full force” to destroy Hamas once it is clear that no more hostages will be freed under the deal.
The Biden administration has told Israel it must avoid “significant further displacement” and mass casualties among Palestinian civilians if it resumes the offensive, and that it must operate with more precision in southern Gaza than it has in the north, according to US officials.
CIA director William Burns and David Barnea, who heads Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, were in Qatar, a key mediator with Hamas, to discuss extending the ceasefire and releasing more hostages, a diplomat said.
A US official confirmed Mr Burns was in Qatar.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit the region this week, also with an eye to extending the truce.
Hamas and other militants are still holding about 160 hostages out of the 240 seized in their October 7 assault into southern Israel that ignited the war.
Israel has said it is willing to extend the ceasefire by one day for every 10 additional hostages that Hamas releases, according to the deal brokered by the Qatar, Egypt and the US.
But Hamas is expected to make much higher demands for the release of captive soldiers.
Israel has vowed to end Hamas’s 16-year rule in Gaza and crush its military capabilities.
That would almost certainly require expanding the ground offensive from northern Gaza to the south, where most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million is now crowded.
It is unclear where they would go if Israel expands its ground operation, as Egypt has refused to accept refugees and Israel has sealed its border.
The latest freed hostages – nine women and a 17-year-old teenager – were being flown to hospitals in Israel, where they will be reunited with their families, the Israeli military said.
Around 30 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released as part of the deal negotiated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
Tuesday’s release brought to 60 the number of Israelis freed under the terms of the deal between Israel and Hamas.
An additional 21 hostages have been released in separate negotiations.
So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel