U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has praised the efforts of those involved in the negotiations, and called for a comprehensive and sustainable peace to be reached. The agreement has seen the release of seventeen hostages held by Hamas, including 4-year-old American citizen Abigail Mor Edan, as well as 39 Palestinian minors from Israeli prisons.
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Congress is facing a two-part deadline to fund the government, while international mediators are pushing for an extension of the cease-fire in Gaza. Sharon Hertzman and her daughter Noam were recently released by Hamas after being held as hostages in Gaza for 50 days, and Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. Debate over approving U.S. aid to Israel and Ukraine is complicated by divisions between the two parties.
A tanker linked to Israel was seized off the coast of Yemen on Sunday, Nov. 26, prompting a response from the USS Mason, part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. Two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen towards the USS Mason, and five armed individuals then debarked the ship and attempted to flee. The incident is still under investigation, and highlights the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas in the region.
Abigail Mor Edan, the youngest U.S. citizen held by Hamas, was released as part of a cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and the militant group. Abigail's parents were killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, and her release is part of a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which has seen Israel release Palestinian prisoners and allow aid into the Gaza Strip. Her release was confirmed by both President Biden and the Israeli military and was facilitated by Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
On Sunday, Hamas released 17 hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, as part of a four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. U.S. President Joe Biden commented on the release of the American, while the Ministry of Health in Gaza put out a call for medical help at Kamal Adwan Hospital. Hamas also announced the death of Ahmed al-Ghandour, a member of its top military council. The four-day truce is set to expire on Monday, and the U.S. is hoping for an extension as both sides continue to negotiate for a lasting peace.
The Biden administration has expressed optimism that an American hostage will be released on Sunday, the third day of a temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said that the U.S. has "reason to believe that Americans will be released today — at least one American will be released today." The cease-fire, which was brokered by Egypt, is set to expire on Tuesday and it is unclear if the hostage release will be part of a larger agreement between the two sides.
After a delay due to allegations of Israel violating the terms of the cease-fire, a second group of 13 Israeli citizens and four Thai nationals have been released as part of a deal brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The release is seen as a positive step towards peace between Israel and Hamas, though tensions remain high in the region. The Israeli Prime Minister's office has said that it will continue to work with the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to ensure that the cease-fire holds and that more hostages and prisoners are released in the coming days.
The cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes the release of 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, was delayed due to a last-minute snag. On Friday, over three dozen Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons as part of the deal, and the second group of hostages was eventually released. The deal is expected to continue until Tuesday, with the remaining hostages to be released in the coming days.