KEY POINTS
- The Israeli army estimated that around 159 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip
- Netanyahu said Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas still stands
- The US is in talks with Israel regarding the protection of civilians in southern Gaza
As the Israel-Hamas war enters its 55th day, the Israeli army said the ceasefire will continue amid mediation efforts to maintain the steady release of hostages. The warring sides have been under increasing pressure from the international community to keep extending their truce deal so more hostages can be freed and more humanitarian aid can enter the Gaza Strip.
- Hamas frees 10 Israelis, 4 Thai nationals and 2 Russians
- Russia says it held "direct" talks with Hamas to get its citizens freed
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Israel
- Hamas claims 10-month-old Kfir Bibas, his mother, and his brother were killed in an Israeli air strike before the ceasefire
- The ceasefire will extend as mediation efforts for hostage releases continue: IDF
- Qatar announced the truce will be extended for another day
- U.S. urging Israel to take greater caution if it targets southern Gaza after ceasefire: report
- Hamas agreed to Israel's hostage release demands a few minutes before truce expired: senior Israeli official
- 8 hostages to be freed Thursday under extended truce deal: Israel's public broadcaster
- Thailand welcomes release of its hostages
- Bodies of 3 deceased hostages expected to be returned Thursday: report
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again reiterated that Israel will get back to fighting once the ceasefire is over.
The Biden administration is in talks with its Israeli counterpart regarding the protection of civilians who fled to southern Gaza should the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) turn its focus to the region after targeting the northern Gaza Strip in the past seven weeks of the conflict.
U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to securing the release of all hostages being held by the Palestinian terror group in Gaza after one American was freed Wednesday.
Hamas agents invaded Israel on Oct. 7 in a surprise attack where they killed more than a thousand people, mostly civilians, and abducted over 200 Israelis and foreign nationals.
The decades-long Israel-Palestine tensions have been further amplified since the war started, as supporters from both sides and from around the world have held multiple demonstrations in recent weeks.
Freed Thai hostage says Israelis beaten, 'treated extremely harshly' in captivity: report
An unnamed Thai national who was held captive by Hamas in Gaza for more than 50 days told the IDF that Israeli hostages "were treated extremely harshly," local media reported. At times, the Israelis were "beaten with electrical cables," the freed Thai hostage said.
The said released captive and three others with him were given "one pita a day," as per the report. They were also given cans of tuna and cheese "sometimes" to share between each other.
3 bodies expected to be returned: report
The bodies of three deceased hostages are expected to be returned to Israel by Hamas Thursday, following the agreement to extend the truce by one more day, local i24 News reported.
🔴 Israel updates families of 8 hostages set to be released today, 3 bodies of victims also expected to be returned
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) November 30, 2023
Israel has yet to confirm that three hostages died in Hamas captivity, but the terror group claimed earlier Thursday that its youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir, as well as the baby's mother and brother, were killed in an Israeli air strike before the ceasefire started.
U.S. ambassador to Israel condemns 'abhorrent' attack in Jerusalem
U.S. ambassador to Israel Jack Lew condemned the "abhorrent terrorist attack" in Jerusalem Thursday morning. He said the U.S. "unequivocally condemns such brutal violence."
Abhorrent terrorist attack in Jerusalem this morning. We unequivocally condemn such brutal violence. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and I offer my sincere condolences to all those affected.
— Ambassador Jack Lew (@USAmbIsrael) November 30, 2023
The attack was reported to Israel's emergency services agency minutes after Qatar announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend the ceasefire deal by another day.
Thailand welcomes release of Thai hostages
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) welcomed the release of the fourth and fifth groups of Thai nationals that were held in Gaza by Hamas militants for more than 50 days.
Hamas freed two Thai hostages on Tuesday and four more Thai citizens were released Wednesday. "Currently, all six Thais are at a hospital provided by Israel for a health check," the MFA said in a statement Thursday.
A Thai-Muslim group previously said it held "direct" talks with Hamas to secure the release of Thai nationals that were abducted from Israel on Oct. 7.
1 dead, 8 injured in Jerusalem shooting attack: MDA
Israel's national emergency services agency Magen David Adom (MDA) said it received a report Thursday morning of a "shooting terror attack" on Weizmann Boulevard in Jerusalem.
A 24-year-old woman has been declared dead from the attack, while eight others were injured -- 5 of them being in serious condition.
Update to the shooting attack on Weitzmann Blvd in Jerusalem: MDA EMTs and Paramedics have pronounced a 24 year old female deceased, and are evacuating 8 casualties to Shaare Tzedek and Hadassah Ein Karem Hospitals: 5 in serious condition, 1 moderate, and 2 mild. pic.twitter.com/USxLGWamZ6
— Magen David Adom (@Mdais) November 30, 2023
A report was received at 07:38 in MDA's 101 Emergency Call Center in Jerusalem of a shooting terror attack on Weizmann Blvd in Jerusalem. MDA EMTs and Paramedics are treating 6 casualties in moderate and serious condition. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/uMa06kDO84
— Magen David Adom (@Mdais) November 30, 2023
8 hostages to be freed Thursday: report
Eight hostages -- six women and two children -- are expected to be freed by Hamas Thursday under the extended ceasefire agreement, national broadcaster Kan reported. The new list of hostages "meets the terms" of the truce deal, the report added.
Hamas understood Israel was 'serious' about its hostage release demands: official
A few minutes before the truce deal ended Thursday morning, Hamas delivered a new list of hostages to be freed, an Israeli politics journalist for Axios reported, citing a senior Israeli official.
"Hamas agreed in the morning to what it did not agree to at night. We were tough and they understood that we were serious," the official said. There were previous reports that Israel had insisted Hamas should prioritize freeing women and children for the Thursday list.
U.S. urges Israel to narrow combat zone if it targets southern Gaza after truce
The Biden administration is urging Israel to be more cautious if it decides to target southern Gaza after the ceasefire, so as to prevent civilian casualties in the area where many Gazans have sought shelter due to the fighting in the north, Reuters reported, citing U.S. officials.
Two officials said Washington understands Israel's goal of rooting out Hamas in the south but it also believes that "greater caution" is necessary when operating in the heavily populated region, as per the report.
Qatar confirms truce extended for 1 more day
Qatar announced in a Google-translated statement on X on Thursday that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire has been extended for another day under the existing terms of hostage-prisoner releases and more humanitarian aid to be allowed entry into Gaza.
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also said it was intensifying mediation efforts "with the aim of reaching a permanent ceasefire" in Gaza.
IDF says truce will continue
"In light of the mediators' efforts to continue the process of releasing the abductees and subject to the terms of the agreement, the ceasefire will continue," the IDF said in a Google-translated post on X, several minutes before the truce deal was set to expire.
Hamas claims youngest hostage killed along with mother and brother
Hamas claimed Wednesday that its youngest hostage, 10-month-old Kfir, the baby's mother, Shiri, and his 4-year-old brother, Ariel, were killed in an Israeli air strike prior to the ceasefire.
The family had been abducted by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 and became the highest-profile civilian hostages since the war started, particularly because of the children's age. Demonstrators have staged protests calling for the family's release in recent weeks.
500 orange balloons (symbolizing 10-month-old Kfir’s gingy hair) released to sky by crowd at a TLV rally calling for the release of Kfir Bibas, his 4-year-old brother, and his mother. 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡 pic.twitter.com/4U5EqFdWKd
— IStandWithIsrael (@LoTTSupporter) November 28, 2023
The IDF said it was "examining the reliability of the information" and had informed the relatives of the Bibas family regarding Hamas' claims. The Israeli army previously said the abducted family had been handed over to another Palestinian group.
Israel refused to extend truce: Hamas
Israel refused to extend the ceasefire deal for another day in exchange for seven women hostages and children, and three hostage bodies, Hamas claimed, as per Israeli political reporter for Axios, Barak Ravid.
"Israel refused our offer even though we made it clear that these were all the women and children we were able to locate," Hamas said.
Fighting will resume if there's no new hostage list: Israeli officials
Senior Israeli officials said that if Hamas does not deliver a new list of hostages to be freed before the ceasefire expires, the fighting will continue, local media reported.
The news comes less than an hour before the six-day truce expires.
Blinken to spend Thursday in Israel
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken is set to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leadership Thursday "to discuss continued efforts" in freeing "all the remaining hostages" in Gaza and to push for more humanitarian aid into Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. Blinken will also visit the West Bank.
While in Israel and the West Bank, @SecBlinken will meet with Israeli and Palestinian Authority leadership to discuss continued efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages and accelerate the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza. pic.twitter.com/7U9Q0tStUE
— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) November 30, 2023
Israel's three main war goals 'still stand': Netanyahu
Netanyahu said in a message Wednesday that Israel's three main goals since the war started "still stand." The first is eliminating Hamas, the second is securing the release of all hostages being held in Gaza and finally, ensuring that the terror group can no longer threaten Israelis.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 29, 2023
"From the start of the war, I set three goals: Eliminating Hamas, returning all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will never again go back to being a threat to the State of Israel. These three goals still stand. pic.twitter.com/B3QmWZEdWd
He reiterated that Israel will resume fighting against Hamas after its hostages are freed. "There is no situation in which we do not go back to fighting until the end," he said.
Russia in direct talks with Hamas: ambassador
Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov said in a recorded message Wednesday night that the release of two Israeli-Russian nationals was made possible due to the "direct" negotiations Russian officials had with Hamas, among other efforts.
שגריר רוסיה בישראל אנטולי ויקטורוב בתגובה מצולמת וחריגה למדי לשחרורן של אירנה טטי ולנה טרופנובה. המסר העיקרי: הקרדיט לשחרורן הוא של רוסיה. בהמשך הסרטון יש גם איזכור של גלי טרשצ'נסקי, שאביה, לפי ויקטורוב הוא אזרח רוסיה. רוסיה תובעת באופן ברור דריסת רגל pic.twitter.com/71u2l1prFJ
— Liza Rozovsky (@lizarozovsky) November 29, 2023
10 Israelis, 2 Russians freed
Hamas freed a total of 10 Israelis, four Thai nationals and Israeli-Russian citizens, Netanyahu's office confirmed Wednesday in a series of posts on X.
The Government of Israel embraces the 14 hostages – ten of our citizens and four foreign nationals – who returned to Israeli territory today. Their families have been updated by the responsible officials that they have returned to the country.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 29, 2023
Israel's prison service also said it released a total of 30 Palestinians Wednesday in compliance with the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Among the freed Palestinian detainees was high-profile activist Ahed Tamimi, whose slapping of an Israeli soldier went viral in 2017.
Hamas said earlier Wednesday that it was freeing two hostages of Russian origin in "appreciation" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Talks are still on for a truce extension
Israel and Hamas have not yet reached an agreement for a truce extension that could see more hostages and prisoners freed, Reuters reported, citing two Palestinian officials.
There are less than two hours left before the ceasefire agreement expires at 7 a.m. local time (midnight ET). Qatari mediators have expressed hope for the truce to be extended, as well as international groups urging the warring parties to sustain the ceasefire momentum.
