Israel-Hamas War LIVE: Hamas delays release of hostages, calls for adherence of 'terms of agreement'

Hamas official said that 100 trucks of aid was part of the first agreement, out of which only three trucks arrived and 97 were not allowed. The official added that there have been violations related to open fire, which resulted in the death of two people.

Hamas officials, while speaking at a press conference in Beirut, said that Israel has failed to recognise the rights of Palestinians. They added that the threats issued by the Israeli government will not change their positions.

“We continue to respect and commit to the deal and as long as the deal is respected. Israel manipulated the lists and names of the people who were supposed to be released. Out of 200, we have received only 70 trucks,” the official said.

An Israeli official threatened that if the second batch of Israeli hostages are not released by midnight from Gaza,the IDF will “restart ground operations” in the Gaza Strip, as per reports.

Hamas stated that it will be waiting for more trucks of aid to enter the enclave before the transfer of hostages is facilitated, as per sources.

An Egyptian official had earlier said that 340 aid trucks entered the Rafah crossing from the Egyptian side, but could not make it to the Gaza side, since they needs to be searched by Israel. Speaking to the CNN, a Rafah border crossing spokesperson said that 133 trucks have entered Gaza so far.

Speaking about the delay, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said that it is a “slow process.” “It will take time, and we're all waiting for this to move ahead,” he said.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in London and called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. As per Reuters, the march held on Saturday was the latest pro-Palestine demonstration which has taken place in London since October 7.

Nearly 1,500 police officers were deployed on the streets amid the protest, which included 500 who were included from forces outside of London.

“We come to show our solidarity and tell the Palestinians they are not alone, we are thinking about them and we are not gonna stop until they are free,”said 25-year-old student Leila Talhi, while speaking to Reuters.

The military wing of Hamas, in a statement, announced that it will be delaying the release of the second batch of hostages.

“The Al-Qassam Brigades decide to delay the release of the second batch of prisoners until the occupation adheres to the terms of the agreement related to the entry of relief trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, and due to the failure to adhere to the agreed-upon standards for releasing prisoners,” said the military wing of Hamas on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials confirm that a second group of hostages have not yet been handed over to the Red Cross.

A Hamas source has informed AFP that the handover of the second group of hostages, who are to be released as part of the truce deal with Israel, has started.

"The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades have begun handing the second group of Israeli prisoners over to the Red Cross in (the southern city of) Khan Yunis. There are 14 of them," said the source, while referring to the armed wing of Hamas.

The Palestine Red Crescent said that a Palestinian was injured after soldiers shot live rounds at some of those gathered outside of the military prison near Ramallah. The incident took place as many wait for the release of the second batch of Palestinian detainees.

Israel Defense Forces international spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said that 13 hostages are likely to be released by Hamas today in exchange of 39 Palestinian prisoners.

However, Hecht added, "there could be changes."

"They sometimes don't always stand up to what they say, but yesterday worked. They did what they said," Hecht said, while speaking to CNN. "Let's hope today we see 13 of our hostages returning home back to their families," he said.

In a statement, the World Health Organisation said that Al-Shifa hospital's director is still detained along with three other health workers by the Israeli army.

The WHO said that they have no information regarding the well-being of the hospital staff, which includes director of Al-Shifa hospital Dr Muhammad Abu Salamiya.

“WHO calls for their legal and human rights to be fully observed during their detention,” read the statement. The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday (Nov 23) said that Abu Salmiya had been detained and was with the Israel Security Agency, “following evidence showing that the Shifa Hospital, under his direct management, served as a Hamas command and control centre."

“When we saw him, we decided to take him to ask why there was so much terrorist activity at his hospital, both above ground and below ground," said IDF international spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, speaking to CNN.

Most of the hostages who will be released from Gaza today are to be from Kibbutz Be’eri, reported Channel 12 news. It is expected that 13 hostages will be handed over by Hamas and the process that will begin at around 4 pm (local time).

In a statement, Poland’s foreign ministry confirmed that a Polish citizen was among hostages released from Gaza.

“We welcome the information about the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which allowed the release of the first group of hostages, including a Polish citizen, and increased supplies of humanitarian aid to the enclave,” said the ministry, in a statement.

“At the same time, Poland continues to firmly demand that Israel consent to the safe departure from the Gaza Strip by other Polish citizens,” it added.

US officials said that the American citizens are not likely to be part of the second group of hostages who will be released on Saturday. However, the White House has said that it is “hopeful” three American citizens will be part of the hostages who will be released in the coming days.

“The President secured the release of two American citizens as the pilot to this larger release of hostages. We are early in the process that will see at least 50 women and children released during the first phase of the agreement,” said a White House official, as per CNN.

“We are hopeful that will include three dual national women and children, who are American citizens. This will unfold over the coming days. We will not comment on individual cases as the process is underway,” he added.

A pro-Palestinian march, which appealed for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, has started in west London, UK. Thousands of protesters carrying placards and Palestinian flags began walking down Park Lane from Marble Arch towards Piccadilly.

In a statement, director of the department of returned children of the hospital Professor Gilat Livni said that the eight hostages who were admitted to the Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel are in “good physical condition”.

Professor Gilat Livni also stated that the former hostages are “surrounded by multi-professional teams.” Among the hostages who were taken to the medical centre included four children, three mothers and one grandmother.

The Co-ordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said that four tanksers of cooking gas and four tankers of fuel entered into the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

“The fuel and cooking gas are designated for operating essential humanitarian infrastructure in Gaza,” wrore the defence ministry, on X. The aid has been entering the enclave as part of the temporary truce in fighting between Hamas and Israel.

Taking to social media, Iran’s embassy in Thailand informed that Iran facilitated the release of 10 Thai hostages from Gaza on Friday (Nov 24), providing a list of names to Hamas after Thailand’s foreign ministry and parliamentary speaker requested them to do so.

“This request was accepted by Hamas and 10 Thai hostages were released after the ceasefire,” it stated.

The sirens which signalled the incoming of rocket fire were sounded in towns of Eilon, Ya’ara and Avdon in northern Israel, near Lebanese border. No immediate reports of damage or injuries emerged.

There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

A US defence official said that an Israeli-owned ship was damaged Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps apparantenly attacked it with a drone in the Indian Ocean.

"We are aware of reports that there was a suspected IRGC-initiated Shahed-136 UAV (that) struck a civilian motor vessel in the Indian Ocean," said the official, adding that "the ship incurred minor damage" and there were "no injuries".

In a rare step, a Qatari private jet landed at Ben Gurion Airport, local media reported. The flight had arrived from Larnaca in Cyprus.

Qatar, which shares close relations with Hamas, has played an important role along with Egypt, in mediation of a temporary truce in fighting between Israel and the militant group.

The 10 Thais are among 24 hostages freed on Friday (November 24) in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Thailand's government said 20 of its nationals remain captive.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said in a statement the freed Thai hostages will return home after 48 hours in hospital. Four of them had not previously been confirmed by Israel to be in captivity. 

"I'm very happy to hear about the confirmation of the release of 10 Thai workers who are being treated at Shamir Medical Center in Israel under the coordinated effort of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted on social media.

Israeli authorities said that 14 hostages would be released on Saturday. In return, 42 Palestinian prisoners will be freed on the second day of a truce deal.

Prison authorities said 42 prisoners - both male and female - would be freed under the terms of the agreement. 

Smoke was seen over Gaza today, on the second of four-day truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. 

The news agency Reuters reported that a loud blast was also heard at 7:15am (0515 GMT) near the border between Gaza and southern Israel, followed by a cloud of black smoke rising in the air. 

Ecuador the government in Quito said Friday that vice president will take up a post in Tel Aviv to pursue a peace agreement between Israeli and the Palestinians.

President Daniel Noboa assigned the peace portfolio to Vice President Veronica Abad as her "sole function," a statement said. Noboa has took office on Thursday for an abbreviated 18-month term. 

The official statement added that Abad will work out of Ecuador's embassy in Tel Aviv as "collaborator for peace and to prevent the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine". The statement didn't specify when she will travel there or for how long. 

Ecuador's Constitution says the vice president will take over for the president in case of a temporary or permanent absence, but for the rest of the time will exercise the functions assigned by the president. 

"This decision represents a historic milestone, setting a precedent for Ecuador's significant commitment to international peace and underscoring our determination to promote stability in a region affected by protracted conflicts," the government said.

Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of a four-day truce with Hamas reached home Friday (Nov 24) as celebrations broke out in the West Bank. A total of 39 prisoners were freed on day one of the truce, who reached home to a heroic welcome, with fireworks clouding the night sky and patriotic Palestinian music exalting the atmosphere. 

Click Here to read details  

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos confirmed the release of a Philippine national, Gelienor "Jimmy" Pacheco, on Friday, CNN reported. 

"I salute the work of the Philippine Foreign Service in securing his release, and once again thank the State of Qatar for their invaluable assistance in making Jimmy’s release possible," Marcos said.  

The hostages released by the Hamas militants have reached Isare,  the military confirmed. They have undergone medical checks.

"The released hostages underwent an initial medical assessment inside Israeli territory. They will continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers as they make their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families," a statement from the IDF read. 

The WHO voiced concern on about the fate of the head of Gaza City's Al-Shifa hospital, detained by Israel. "Three medical personnel from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and three from the Ministry of Health were detained," the WHO said.

Since then two of the six have reportedly been released, but "we do not have information about the well-being of the four remaining health staff, including the director of Al-Shifa hospital," the statement added.

The UN agency called for "their legal and human rights to be fully observed during their detention".

A spokesperson for the Israeli army said on Saturday that hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya was being questioned.

"We are currently moving forward with… questioning him over the fact that he was the head of a hospital that was really sitting on top of an entire terror network," Doron Spielman said.

"How could he not know what's happening? We have hostages that were on, you know, CCTV in his hospital."

Israel's PM Netanyahu hailed the release of Israeli hostages. He had said: "I emphasize to you, the families, and to you, the citizens of Israel: We are committed to returning all our hostages. This is one of the war’s objectives, and we’re committed to achieving all of the war’s objectives." 

Officials said that Israel has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israeli security officials were reviewing the list after his government's vow to work for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel on Oct 7. 

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California, held rallies to coincide with the ‘Black Friday’ sales, with some aiming to shame shoppers at stores they accuse of supporting Israel. The protests held on Friday (November 24) were part of a nationwide “shut it down for Palestine” day of action in several cities across the United States. The Black Friday sales day kicks off the holiday shopping season that is crucial to big retailers.

Demonstrators surrounded Starbucks and Victoria’s Secret branches in downtown Chicago, with some yelling "shame on you" at shoppers inside, as police ringed the stores’ entrances. Protesters marching through Los Angeles accused U.S. President Joe Biden of being complicit in what they called Israel’s ‘genocide’ against Palestinians in Gaza. According to Israeli tallies, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in the October 7th attack and took about 240 hostages. Since then, Israel has rained bombs on the Hamas-ruled enclave, killing some 14,000 Gazans, around 40% of them children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

For Yoni Katz Asher, whose wife and children were freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Friday (November 24) as part of the first group of Israelis to return home, there was happiness mingled with concern for those who remained in Gaza.

"I am happy I received my family back, it's allowed me to feel joy and it's allowed me to shed a tear. That's a human thing," said Yoni Katz Asher, whose wife Doron, 34, and daughters Raz, 4, and Aviv, 2, were freed on Friday. "But I am not celebrating, I will not celebrate until the last of the hostages returns home."

Israel has received a list of hostages set to be freed from Gaza on Saturday by Palestinian militant group Hamas, officials said, following the release of 24 hostages during the first day of a planned four-day truce on Friday. Israeli security officials were reviewing the list, said a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government promised to work toward the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Protesters shouted 'Free Palestine' as President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walked to a restaurant in Nantucket on Friday (November 24).

Yoni Asher whose wife and daughters were released after being held hostage in Gaza since October 7th says, he is "determined to help my family recover from the terrible trauma" and that he "will not celebrate until the last of the hostages returns."

Thirteen Israeli hostages released on Friday (November 24) by Hamas are being treated in two hospitals in Israel, where they have been reunited with family, according to hospital officials.

Five captive women arrived at Wolfson Medical Center and were placed in a "special complex" with their families said hospital director, Anat Angel, during a news conference.

A helicopter said to be carrying Israeli hostages landed late on Friday (November 24) at the Schneider Children's Medical Center in Israel.

The first group of Israelis freed from captivity in Gaza returned to Israel on Friday, on the first day of a planned four-day truce during which further exchanges of hostages for Palestinian detainees are due to take place.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday confirmed that four German nationals were among the first group of hostages released by Hamas.

Helicopters flew from an Israeli military base on Friday (November 24) after hostages released from Gaza were taken to the post.

It is not known if the aircraft were carrying the released hostages to hospitals for medical checks after their ordeal in captivity in Gaza, having been seized during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

After spending eight years in prison, 24-year-old Palestinian prisoner Marah was freed on Friday (November 24) under an Israeli-Hamas truce deal that set free 39 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 13 women and children hostages who were released from Gaza after being held by Hamas militants.

"The issue of solitary confinement is a huge thing, especially since they (Prison authorities) have separated me from the other girls in the ward, and I was ignorant to what was happening in the ward, or the girls in the ward, and this effects us greatly, especially as Palestinian female security prisoners. But at the same time when the person has faith in God, everything becomes easier, and thank God, things went well. But the news of the deal was a complete shock to us, it is true that one expected the deal, but not in such circumstances, and I did not know anything of what is going on outside, on what is going on in Gaza," Bkeer said.

Cheering crowds lined a street in Israel on Friday (November 24) as a convoy carrying hostages returning from Gaza passed by.

People draped in Israeli flags cheered and sang by the roadside as the convoy drove towards the nearby Hatzerim air force base.

Thirty nine Palestinian women and minors detained on various charges were freed under an accord brokered by Qatar that also saw the release of 13 Israeli hostages seized by Hamas gunmen during their assault on Israel last month.

"There is no real joy, even this little joy we feel as we wait," said Sawsan Bkeer, the mother of 24-year-old Palestinian prisoner Marah Bkeer, jailed for eight years on knife and assault charges in 2015. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released.

"We are still afraid to feel happy and at the same time, we do not have it in us to be happy due to what is happening in Gaza," she said.

"During the days of the truce, the IDF will complete its preparation and readiness for the next stages of the war. IDF forces are ready and alert on all fronts. Our policy is clear - we'll act against any threat to the state of Israel."

"We're following after everything there is to follow, after Hamas leaders in Gaza and everywhere else in the world."

Hospital Teams

Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel
Sagit Dinnar +972-544899124

Soroka Medical Center
Rebecca Brindza  +972-548764723

Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh)
Sharon Levin +972-544860339

Wolfson Medical Center
Bar Kozlovsky +972-547288001

Sheba Medical Center
Gali Morag +972-546688012 

Attached are photos and information on Adina Moshe, released today after 49 days in Hamas captivity.

Adina Moshe, 72 years old, was kidnapped to Gaza on October 7th from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, after the terrorists murdered her husband Sa'id Moshe. She has four children: Maya, Yael, Sasson, and Amos. She now returns to the embraces of her children and grandchildren. She will be able to resume helping raising her grandchildren living in the kibbutz and return to her hobbies: cooking, growing plants, and reading books.

A total of 137 trucks carrying food, water, medicine and other essentials have been unloaded in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas truce began Friday, the United Nations said.

This was the biggest humanitarian convoy to enter Gaza since the war started on October 7, the UN office for humanitarian affairs said in a statement.