Evening recap

Good evening MEE readers, 

On the seventh day of the temporary truce in Gaza, more Palestinians and Israelis have been released as part of a prisoner exchange. 

A one-day extension in the halt in fighting - which was agreed after frantic last- minute mediation efforts - is set to expire on Friday. 

Here’s a recap from the last few hours: 

• Thirty more Palestinian prisoners are being released on Thursday night, while eight Israeli captives held in Gaza have been freed and handed over to the Red Cross.
   
• At least three people were killed and six injured in a shooting attack near the entrance to the city of Jerusalem. Israeli authorities said two shooters had been “neutralised on the spot”. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
   
• A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces north of the Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank. Karam Bani Odeh, 25, died from his wounds after Israeli authorities prevented medics from reaching him.
   
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a visit to Israel that the Israeli military had an “obligation” to minimise harm towards Palestinian civilians when fighting resumes.
   
• Loosening of rules within the Israeli army on attacking "non-military" targets may have contributed to the massive death toll in the Gaza Strip since 7 October, a new investigation has suggested.
   
• More than 1,300 artists and cultural figures have signed a statement accusing arts institutions in western countries of censoring Palestinian voices and solidarity.
   
• Israel summoned Spain's ambassador to the country for a reprimand after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez questioned whether Israel was respecting international humanitarian law in Gaza.