Happening now: After 49 days, first group of Israeli hostages — 13 women and children — freed by Hamas, on way out of Gaza * Israel to release 39 Palestinian prisoners

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Friday, November 24, 2023 Live updates [LIVE: First group of Israeli hostages in the hands of Red Cross, on their way out of Gaza]( By Michael Bachner, Jacob Magid, Ricky Ben-David and ToI Staff Families head to Israeli hospitals to be reunited with 13 children and women freed by Hamas after 49 days * Israel prepares to release 39 terror convicts [Israel-Hamas truce comes into force, as first 13 Israeli hostages set to be freed]( By Tal Schneider and Jacob Magid Temporary pause in fighting takes effect at 7 a.m., with group of Israeli children and women to be handed over at 4 p.m.; almost all were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz [24 Palestinian women, 15 minors to be freed from prison in first batch of exchange]( By ToI Staff Prisoners arrive in Ofer Prison in the West Bank, undergo Red Cross health examination ahead of slated release Friday afternoon in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages [Report: Hamas set to release 23 Thai hostages in side deal brokered by Iran]( By ToI Staff [Hostages’ families describe ’emotional rollercoaster’ as they wait for releases]( By Agencies and ToI Staff Relatives of those held in Gaza hope their loved ones are freed as soon as possible, describing the uncertainty as unbearable [Coming home: Health Ministry discloses strict protocols for treating freed hostages]( By Renee Ghert-Zand [Thousands of Gazans head north, in potential challenge to IDF’s campaign after truce]( By Emanuel Fabian, Agencies and ToI Staff 2 reported killed as Hamas encourages civilians to go back to war zone; IDF drops flyers, tries to prevent flow; 13 hostages to be freed at 4 p.m.; humanitarian aid enters Gaza [Hamas commander killed ahead of truce; Gallant: War will resume for at least 2 months]( By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff [‘Precarious calm’ on northern front as truce with Hamas takes hold]( By AFP and ToI Staff Hezbollah has hinted it will hold its fire, though there has been no reciprocal commitment by Israel; Biden said to ask Netanyahu to work to keep north calm during Gaza pause [Report: Biden asked Netanyahu to try to keep north calm during temporary Gaza truce]( By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff [Hezbollah hits Israel with heavy rocket barrages, anti-tank missile attacks]( By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff ToI podcast [Daily Briefing Nov 24: Day 49 – Temporary ceasefire begins as all eyes on hostage release]( By ToI Staff Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian on where the IDF is during the pause in offensive operations, rockets from Lebanon; US bureau chief Jacob Magid on humanitarian concerns [Inside story / US officials say Israel likely can’t make good on hostage deal promise to up Gaza aid]( By Jacob Magid [Reports: Senior IDF officer dismissed pre-Oct. 7 intel on Hamas invasion as ‘fantasy’]( By ToI Staff Two lower level officers in IDF’s elite intelligence Unit 8200 outlined a mass invasion one month before onslaught; top officers also waved off manual showing plans for onslaught [Election poll shows Gantz at 43 seats, Netanyahu’s Likud at 18, Smotrich out]( By ToI Staff Wartime survey finds coalition parties would crash to 41 seats, opposition parties would skyrocket to 79; respondents prefer Gantz to Netanyahu as PM, 52%-27% [Legacy breaker / ‘Your debacle has eclipsed mine’: Golda’s ghost haunts PM in satire skit]( By Jessica Steinberg Top Ops Haim Watzman [In the rubble]( Ami has been murdered, but all Naama can focus on is her vision of a baby she knows is dead (Fiction) Adele Stowe-Lindner [Oh sister, where art thou?]( The silence of international feminists in response to the horrific sexual violence against women by Hamas on October 7th is deafening [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( Inside Story [Global women’s rights groups silent as Israeli women testify about rapes by Hamas]( By Amelie Botbol Despite widespread evidence of terrorists’ systematic acts of sexual brutality on Oct. 7, most worldwide organizations either have no comment or bash IDF’s military campaign in Gaza [Yad Vashem chief rejects comparison between Hamas atrocities, Holocaust]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [Protesters set off smoke bombs outside AIPAC head’s home, call him ‘baby killer’]( By ToI Staff On Thanksgiving, pro-Palestinian activists place mock babies, spill red paint in front yard of Michael Tuchin’s Los Angeles residence, chant ‘fuck your holiday’ [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [As crops wither, farmers say fields will soon be barren without foreign workers]( By Mati Wagner Volunteers help ease the agricultural sector’s devastation since Oct. 7, but as skilled manpower shortages take root throughout the country, farmers lose hope [Fear of Israel-Hamas war spreading said to restrain West from Iran nuclear crackdown]( By AFP and ToI Staff Concern over potential regional war stops IAEA Board of Governors from passing binding resolution on Tehran’s defiance of nuclear watchdog, diplomats say ToI podcast [What Matters Now to Rabbi Seth Farber: Hostages and mixed burials in Jewish law]( By Amanda Borschel-Dan Issues of religion and state can take on more urgency in times of war. The head of ITIM, an NGO aimed at helping Israelis navigate the country’s religious bureaucracy, explains [Day 49 – Temporary ceasefire begins as all eyes on hostage release]( [listen to the podcast]( [Comedians defend Israel the best way they know how: Make ’em laugh]( By Amy Klein In the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught, many are using humor to push back against what they see as a propaganda war against Israel and Jews More Headlines [EU lawmakers host conference on Palestinian incitement in light of Oct. 7 massacre]( By Canaan Lidor [Authorities launch probe after at least 85 Jewish graves damaged in Belgian cemetery]( By AFP and ToI Staff [Watchdog: Schools run by PA celebrated Oct. 7 Hamas massacres]( By ToI Staff [Musk to visit Israel next week, tour Gaza border towns – report]( By ToI Staff [Volunteer group of Israeli developers raising $2m to fortify defense tech amid war]( By Sharon Wrobel [Europe’s hard right hopes best is yet to come after Wilders’ win in Netherlands]( By Raf Casert [Minister suggests sanctions on Haaretz for ‘false propaganda,’ but action unlikely]( By Jeremy Sharon [Cuban president leads pro-Palestinian march in front of US embassy in Havana]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [Two streets still named for Nazis in Hitler’s Austrian hometown]( By AFP [Israel to play Iceland in Euro 2024 playoffs, with winner to face Bosnia or Ukraine]( By AFP [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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