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☆ ‘We owe it to them’: Families of Israelis killed in war find new hope through sperm extraction
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“I’ve seen dozens of people killed in accidents or shootings, but this was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life,” Daphna-Tekoah told CNN by telephone. “I asked ‘Would you like me to find out about sperm preservation?’”Medical social worker Shir Daphna-Tekoah suggested the idea of sperm extraction to bereaved families on October 7. “The demand has been very high,” she told CNN in a video call, adding that dozens of families have accessed the service since October 7. It isn’t that they want a baby instead of their son - it’s the grandchild,” she told CNN by telephone. PSR can be the easy part, Rosenblum told CNN.

Persons: Shir Daphna, “ I’ve, ”, Tekoah, “, ‘, Noga Fuchs, Dr, Shimi Barda, Noga, Barda, Shaylee Atary, Atary, Fuchs, Irit Oren Gunders, Irit Rosenblum, Lawyer Irit Rosenblum, Irit Rosenblum Rosenblum, Rosenblum, “ We’ve, ” Rosenblum, “ I’m, ” Yulia, Vlad Poznianski, Baruch, Yulia, Shira, Liat Malka, Baruch Pozniansky, Yulia Pozniansky, she’s, Malka, She’s, won’t, isn’t, Soldiers, ” Israel ‘, Gil Siegal Organizations: CNN, Kaplan, of Health, PSR, Ichilov, Israel Defense Forces, Noga Fuchs, Noga, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, New, Center for Health Law, Kiryat Ono, Israel, University of Virginia Law School Locations: Tel, Kfar Aza, Gaza, Israel

☆ Support among Israelis for resumption of Gaza campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Nathan Frandino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTEL AVIV, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Israelis interviewed on Tel Aviv's streets backed their army's resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip on Friday, acknowledging the dangers but blaming Hamas for the collapse of a week-long truce. "We still have 156 hostages in Gaza, still have babies there ... We don't want this war, but we have to," he said. "I hope Hamas will be clever enough to keep the hostages safe and also the innocent citizens of Gaza, that they will be safe also," she said. And I don't believe Hamas will give up all the hostages because they use it as a human shield. "So if they give up all of them, they won't have anything to stand up against Israel because Israel has a much stronger army than Hamas does.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, it's, Dvir Feller, Yael Segal, I'm, doesn't, Segal, Lior Feuer, Tania Rubinshtein, Nathan Frandino, Howard Goller, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, TEL AVIV, Tel

"Hell on Earth has returned to Gaza," said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office in Geneva. Israeli assaults since have laid waste much of Gaza, which Hamas has ruled since 2007. Sirens blared across southern Israel as militants fired rockets from the coastal enclave into towns. U.S. AND HAMAS TRADE ACCUSATIONSThe United States blamed Hamas for the renewed fighting, saying it had failed to produce a new list of hostages to release. The United States is working on a plan with Israel to minimize harm to civilians in any military operation in southern Gaza, a senior U.S. official said.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Jens Laerke, Martin Griffiths, Israel, Antony Blinken, Mark Warner, Washington, Crescent, Gazans, Khan, Mohammed Abu, Suhaib, Nidal, Mohammed Salem, Humeyra Pamuk, Ari Rabinovich, Emily Rose, Andrew Mills, David Brunnstrom, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, United Nations, Hamas, Tel, Hezbollah, Reuters, Democratic U.S, Senate Intelligence, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, GAZA, Geneva, QATAR, Qatar, Radwan, Tel Aviv, Lebanon, Iran, Lebanese, States, Jerusalem, Washington, United States, Israeli, Rafah, Egypt, U.S, Khan Younis, Khan, Suhaib Salem, Cairo, Doha

☆ Israel Considers How to Remove Threat of Hamas Fighters in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Dion Nissenbaum | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

TEL AVIV—As Israeli forces prepare for a renewed offensive targeting Hamas’s top leaders in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military and political leaders are confronting the challenge of what to do about the thousands of fighters that represent the group’s power base. To address that challenge, some Israeli and U.S. officials are discussing the idea of expelling thousands of lower-level militants from the Palestinian enclave as a way to shorten the war. The idea is reminiscent of the U.S.-brokered deal that allowed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and thousands of fighters to flee Beirut during Israel’s 1982 siege of the Lebanese capital.

Persons: Yasser Arafat Organizations: TEL AVIV — Locations: TEL AVIV, Gaza, U.S, Beirut, Israel’s

Las Vegas Sands and Adelson and Dumont families representative Ron Reese declined Wednesday to comment. Adelson, a physician, rarely gives interviews; in 2021, she told Las Vegas television station KNTV about her work with people fighting addictions. “A good person with good values, though he is totally opposite of us in his political views,” she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal then. The Adelson family owns that newspaper. Major League Baseball owners recently voted to let the Oakland Athletics relocate to Las Vegas, and the city is frequently mentioned as a possible home for an NBA team.

Persons: — Miriam Adelson, powerbroker, Adelson, Dumont, Sands, Patrick Dumont, Mark Cuban, Ron Reese, ” Adelson, “ I'm, Cuban, Miriam Adelson, ”, Sheldon Adelson, Sheldon Adelson's, “, Donald Trump, Trump, Robert Mueller's, “ Miriam, ” Trump, “ You’ve, Michael Milken, Israel Hayom, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Miriam Adelson, Brad Alberts, “ I’m, ” Alberts, ___ Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Israel, Dallas Mavericks, Las Vegas Sands Corp, NBA, Forbes, Vegas Sands, Adelson, Las, Las Vegas, Sands, Expo, Republican, Cuban, White, Republican Jewish Coalition, Nevada’s, Vegas, Securities and Exchange Commission, Oakland Raiders, Major League Baseball, Oakland Athletics, Mavericks, Las Vegas Sands, NHL's Dallas Stars, Dallas Morning Locations: U.S, Las, Vegas, Las Vegas, Cuban, Israel, New York City, Boston, Sands, Macau, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Russia, Gaza, West, Vegas Sands, Dallas

☆ The world’s most expensive cities in which to live in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Inflation predictionsZurich, Switzerland (pictured) tied with Singapore as the world's most expensive city on the Worldwide Cost of Living Index from the Economist Intelligence Unit. Maremagnum/Corbis Documentary RF/Getty ImagesThe city-state of Singapore and Switzerland’s Zurich were named as the most expensive cities in the world. Movers and shakersHong Kong, the "Pearl of the Orient," came in fifth on the list of the world's most expensive cities to live in. The 2023 Worldwide Cost of Living surveyed 173 major cities, comparing more than 400 individual prices across 200 products and services. The world’s 10 most expensive cities for 20231.

Persons: who’s, Pol Albarrán, Price, ” Upasana Dutt, Dutt, Chunyip Wong, San Francisco Organizations: CNN, Economist Intelligence Unit, Economist Intelligence, Getty, Denmark's Copenhagen, Switzerland’s, New York, Singapore, Tel, Denmark’s, Orient, 171st, Venezuela’s, Paris, ., San Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, Singapore, China, Israel, El, –, Tel Aviv, Switzerland’s Zurich, Swiss, Switzerland’s Geneva, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Paris, Denmark’s Copenhagen, San Francisco, Moscow, St, Petersburg, Ukraine, Beijing, Damascus, Syria, Tehran, Iran, Tripoli, Libya, Western, Venezuela’s Caracas, York, Geneva, . Tel Aviv, Copenhagen

Hamas freed two Israeli hostages Thursday afternoon and they were brought back into Israel, with more expected to follow, the Israeli military said. Israel had agreed to extend the truce by one day for every 10 militant-held hostages who are freed. Roughly 240 hostages were captured by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. ISRAEL SAYS 2 MORE HOSTAGES RELEASED FROM GAZAJERUSALEM — The Israeli military said Thursday that two Israeli hostages were released from captivity in the Gaza Strip. The two hostages are among a larger group of Israelis expected to be released Thursday as part of the latest extension of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Israel, — Jake Sullivan, — Israel, Schumer, Pedro Sánchez, Eli Cohen, Sánchez “, ” Cohen, “, Sánchez, ” Sánchez, Israel ´, Karim Khan, Israel “, Khan, ISRAEL, BLINKEN, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Biden, Blinken “, Mahmoud Abbas, Tzarfati, Israel —, ”, David Adom, Zaki Heller, Doron Turgeman, AHED TAMIMI Organizations: Qatar, Health Ministry, Islamic, U.S, MADRID —, Spanish, Spanish National Television, “, Belgian, ICC, Cross, HAMAS TEL, Israel — U.S, State Department, West Bank, MAN, Jerusalem police, Army, JERUSALEM, Qatari Foreign Ministry, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, —, israel, MADRID — Israel, Spain, Palestinian, Egypt, Belgian, Spanish, HAGUE, Netherlands, Ramallah, GAZA JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, HAMAS TEL AVIV, U.S, Jerusalem, JERUSALEM, TEL AVIV, Qatar, AHED TAMIMI Israel

☆ Israel's president visits UAE, asks for help to free hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alexander Cornwell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Herzog made the request during a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed in Dubai, according to a statement issued by the Israeli president's media office. "The President appealed to his friend Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to employ his full political weight to promote and speed up the return home of the hostages," it said. Israel has released 210 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages. A UAE state news agency report said the two presidents discussed relations between their countries and issues of mutual interest. Herzog was invited to attend the summit by Sheikh Mohamed earlier this year.

Persons: Isaac Herzog, SAUL LOEB, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Herzog, Sheikh Mohamed, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Abraham, Abu Dhabi, Alexander Cornwell, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, State, Rights, Thursday, United Arab Emirates, Hamas, UAE, UAE ., Abraham Accords, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Rights DUBAI, Palestinian, Gaza, Dubai, Gulf, The UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Gaza's Rafah, UAE, United States

☆ Israel-Hamas War Israel and Hamas Say Cease-Fire Has Been Extended
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Ben Hubbard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Hostages and Missing Families, via ReutersRaz Ben-Ami was kidnapped by Hamas from the Be’eri kibbutz on Oct. 7. Her brother Lior, 16, who was hiding with her, was murdered, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. His uncle, Dror Or, and his cousins, Noam, 17, and Alma, 13, were taken hostage at the same time. Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters, via Associated PressIrena Tati, a physician, and her daughter, Yelena Trupanob, immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union and are dual Israeli-Russian citizens, according to the hostages and missing families forum. Yelena’s son Sasha, 28, and his girlfriend, Sapir Cohen, 29, were also taken hostage and are still being held in Gaza.

Persons: Ra’aya Rotem, Reuters Ra’aya Rotem, Hila, Emily Hand, Ra’aya texted, Itay Regev, Associated Press Itay, Raz Ben, Ami, Ben, Ohad, Lior, Tarshansky, Reuma, Kamelia Hoter Ishay, ’ ”, ”, Gat, Roman Gat, Be’eri, Alon, Gefen, Liat Binin, Reuters Liat, Atzili, Aviv, Nir Oz, Moran, Yanai, Liam, Associated Press Liam, Dror, Noam, Alma, Ofir Engel, Associated Press Ofir Engel, Yuval Sharabi, Yossi Sharabi, “, ” Yael Engel Lichi, Amit Shani, Amit Shani Credit, Amit Shani’s, Tal Shani, ‘, Ms, Shani, Amit, ” Ms, ” Irena Tati, Yelena Trupanob, Irena Tati, Vitaly Trupanob, Yelena’s, Sasha, Sapir Cohen, Nadav, Talya Minsberg Organizations: Wednesday, Ra'aya Rotem Credit, Reuters, The, Associated Press, Hapoel Ashkelon, Marvel, Yad Vashem, Nova, Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer, Hamas, Associated, Soviet Locations: Russian, Be’eri, Israel, The Times, Re’im, Gaza, Gali Tarshansky, Tarshansky, Tel Aviv, ‘ Gali, United States, Jerusalem, India, Kibbutz Be’eri, Alma, Soviet Union

☆ Tearful reunions for Israelis and Palestinians amid hostage-prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[6/30]Merav Tal, 53, who was taken hostage during the October 7 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, embraces her loved ones shortly after her arrival at the Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 28. Her partner Yair is still being held hostage in Gaza and his children Yagil and Or were released the day before Merav. via Prime Minister's OfficeTEL AVIV, ISRAEL

Persons: Merav Tal, Yair, Yagil, ISRAEL Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Sourasky Medical, Merav, Minister's Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Gaza, TEL AVIV

A weeklong cease-fire in Gaza collapsed on Friday morning after Israel said Hamas had fired rockets toward Israel in the hours before the truce was set to expire, and Israel responded with strikes on the territory. But early Friday, shortly before the truce was set to end, Israel’s military said on the social media site X that it had intercepted a projectile fired from Gaza. Nonetheless, minutes after the 7 a.m. deadline passed, Israel announced that it was restarting operations in Gaza. Shortly afterward, both the Israeli military and Gaza’s Hamas-run Interior Ministry said that Israel was carrying out strikes across Gaza. “We have sworn, I have sworn, to eliminate Hamas,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

Persons: Israel, Hamas’s, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Mr, Netanyahu, Antony J, Blinken, “, ” Mr, ” Aaron Boxerman, Iyad, Johnatan Reiss Organizations: Hamas, Mr Locations: Khan Yunis, Gaza, Israel, Doha, Qatar, United States, Egypt, Tel Aviv, “ Israel

☆ Two Palestinians open fire at Jerusalem bus stop, killing three - police
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The terrorists arrived at the scene by car in the morning, armed with an M-16 rifle and a handgun," police said. The shooters came from East Jerusalem and were stopped by off-duty soldiers and another civilian who was nearby, police said. Israel's Shin Bet security agency identified them as 30 and 38-year-old brothers who were affiliated with the Islamist group Hamas, which runs Gaza. A white car is seen stopped beside a crowded bus stop. A large number of first responders and security forces converged on the area that was crowded with morning commuters.

Persons: Israel's Shin, Ronen, Benny Gantz, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Antony Blinken, Ari Rabinovitch, Bernadette Baum, Gareth Jones Organizations: Attackers, Hamas, Reuters, REUTERS, National, U.S, Tel, West Bank, Troops, Thomson Locations: Gaza, JERUSALEM, Palestinian, Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, Israel, Tel Aviv

☆ Wartime unity between the US and Israel will soon face its toughest test
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Each day the pause in Israel’s war with Hamas is extended saves lives. Uncertainty, meanwhile, surrounds the future of the remaining hostages, mostly male, that Israel believes remain in Gaza. “Over the past few days I’ve been hearing this question – will Israel go back to fighting after maximizing this phase of returning our hostages? Israel must be more “cautious, more careful, more deliberate and more precise in their targeting,” one senior administration official said. How far will Israel go in testing Biden’s loyalty, forbearance and political viability if the war heats up again?

Persons: Biden, Israel, Bibas, Will Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, ”, Joe Biden, CNN’s MJ Lee, Jennifer Hansler, Katie Bo Lillis, Netanyahu, Biden’s entreaty, Antony Blinken, Daniel Davis, Kasie Hunt, ” Israel, “ We’re, Naftali Bennett, ” Bennett, CNN’s Jake Tapper, “, Yehuda Beinin –, Liat, –, Beinin, Aviv, forbearance Organizations: CNN, World, Organization, West Bank, Palestinian Ministry, Health, US, Wednesday, US Army, CNN International’s, Washington, Democratic Party, Biden, Israel Locations: Israel, Gaza, Jenin, Washington, who’s, American, CNN International’s “ State, Afghanistan, Egypt, Qatar, United States

[1/9] A vehicle carrying hostages released as part of a deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, drives by, in Ofakim, Israel, November 30, 2023. Israel, according to the reports, is demanding at least 10 hostages be released on Thursday, with women and children prioritised. Fighters should "remain on such footing unless an official statement is issued confirming the extension of the truce," the statement added. Two Palestinian officials earlier told Reuters that talks were continuing over a possible extension of the truce, but no agreement had yet been reached. Hamas released 16 more hostages on Wednesday, the final day of a two-day extension to the truce.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Antony Blinken, we'll, Blinken, prioritised, Joe Biden, Beinin, Majed Al, Ansari, Jordan, U.N, Antonio Guterres, Nidal al, Mohammed Salem, Emily Rose, Grant McCool, Lincoln, Cynthia Osterman, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, U.S, Brigades, Reuters, Health, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, . Security Council, Security, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Ofakim, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Brussels, Hamas, U.S, Dutch, Qatar, China, Cairo, Jerusalem

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday stepped up calls for Israel to comply with international law as it wages its war against Hamas in Gaza. But he also said it is imperative that Israel protect civilians if it starts major military operations in southern Gaza. Netanyahu said he told Blinken, “This is the same Hamas that carried out the terrible massacre on Oct. 7, the same Hamas that tries to murder us everywhere. Blinken told Abbas "he would continue to insist on full accountability for those responsible,” the State Department said. Blinken also told Abbas that “the United States remains committed to advancing tangible steps for a Palestinian state,” it said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Biden, Joe Biden's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken “, West Bank ”, Netanyahu, ”, —, ” Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas Organizations: —, Joe Biden's Democratic Party, Israeli, State Department, West Bank, United Arab Emirates Locations: TEL AVIV, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Jerusalem, Palestinian, United States, Dubai

☆ US seeks to reshape Israel’s war on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —A solidifying US attempt to influence the second phase of Israel’s war against Hamas to protect Palestinian civilians represents one of the most significant diplomatic moves yet in the more than 50-day conflict. That’s a calculation that would keep the initiative in the conflict in the hands of Hamas and could take many days or weeks. The Israeli leader is also weakened because the Hamas attacks, one of the darkest days in Israel’s history, happened on his watch. Netanyahu told Israelis on Thursday that he swore to eliminate Hamas and nothing would stop him. While many foreign powers do not necessarily accept that interpretation of the war against Hamas, this is a mindset that could convince Israel that any action is justified.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken, Biden, “, ” Blinken, Israel, Netanyahu, Gazans, ”, CNN’s MJ Lee, Jennifer Hansler, Katie Bo Lillis, Aaron David Miller, ” Miller, Joe Biden, Naftali Bennett, Mark Regev, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, we’ll Organizations: CNN, Israeli, CNN International, Hamas, New York Times, “ CNN, Central Locations: Jerusalem, United States, Northern Gaza, Tel Aviv, Gaza, Washington, Israel, East

☆ Inside the chaotic Thanksgiving-weekend collapse of homebuilder startup Veev that left employees shocked and worried about their jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But for workers of Lennar-backed homebuilder Veev, they were spent scrambling to determine if they would still have jobs come Monday. Speaking to the "Veev Family," he wrote: "Family will stay in touch and together forever, even if it is going to be only within our hearts." The company has about 250 employees, according to news site Calcalist. "We call it the Veev family," Haller said. On a very personal note, for me Amit Haller, Veev was my personal journey in the past 15 years, half of my professional career and about ⅓ of my entire life.

Persons: Amit Haller, Veev, Haller, doesn't, we're, homebuilder, Kleiner Perkins, Bond, Lennar, Linda Keala, Ami, Amit Organizations: Business, Dragonfly, Wall, Center, Real Estate, Technology Innovation, Employees, Dafna Locations: California, Tel Aviv, Hayward , California, Haller, Reali, @nicollsanddimes, .

☆ Blinken says truce between Israel, Hamas is producing results
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks from his airplane upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, on November 30, 2023. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsTEL AVIV, Nov 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas had produced results and the United States hoped it would continue. The truce has brought the first respite to Gaza in seven weeks during which Israel bombed the territory heavily in response to the Oct. 7 rampage. "I look forward to detailed conversations with the government of Israel about the way ahead in Gaza," Blinken said. Israel has sworn to annihilate Hamas, which rules Gaza.

Persons: Antony Blinken disembarks, SAUL LOEB, Antony Blinken, Isaac Herzog, Blinken, Washington, Israel, Herzog, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yair Lapid, Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz, Mahmoud Abbas, Washington's, Humeyra Pamuk, Ali Sawafta, Howard Goller Organizations: Ben Gurion, REUTERS Acquire, Hamas, U.S, Israel, West Bank, Health, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, TEL AVIV, Palestinian, United States, Gaza, Jerusalem, The U.S, Ramallah

☆ Thai Foreign Minister Weeps, Welcomes Hamas Release of Thai Workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Another two Thai workers were set free on Tuesday, bringing the total released to 19. He said they remain in contact with him and send him updates about the release of hostages even before the news breaks. The Thai foreign ministry said three Thais were being treated for wounds in hospital. On Monday, a Thai Muslim group that spoke directly with Hamas said its efforts were key to ensuring that Thai hostages were among the first to be released in Gaza during a temporary truce with Israeli forces. Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages back to Gaza on Oct. 7.

Persons: Parnpree Bahiddha, Nukara, Thais, Parnpree, Lerpong Syed, Israel, Juarawee Kittisilpa, Howard Goller, Sandra Maler Organizations: Reuters, Thai Foreign, Shamir Medical Center, Hamas, Iran Locations: Kittisilpa TEL AVIV, Israel, Thailand, Palestinian, Gaza, Thai, Thailand's

☆ Thailand welcomes release of two more Thai hostages held by Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Happy to personally welcome 2 additional Thai hostages just released and arrived at the hospital in Tel Aviv," Parnpree, who is also deputy prime minister, posted on social media platform X. Nineteen Thai hostages have so far been released, while the foreign ministry says 13 more remain in captivity. A Thai Muslim group that spoke directly with Hamas said on Monday its efforts were key to ensuring Thai hostages were among the first to be released. A Thai foreign ministry spokesperson said multiple actors were consulted. The Thai citizens released are slated to return home this week as Parnpree visits Israel.

Persons: Parnpree Bahiddha, Eli Cohen, Uriel Bosso, Nukara, Parnpree, Orathai Sriring, Panarat, Tom Hogue, Martin Petty Organizations: Thai Foreign, Israeli, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Gaza, BANGKOK, Israel, Tel Aviv

Here’s what we know about the Israeli hostages released on Wednesday. Hostages and Missing Families, via ReutersRaz Ben-Ami was kidnapped by Hamas from the Be’eri kibbutz on Oct. 7. Her brother Lior, 16, who was hiding with her, was murdered, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. Hostages and Missing Families Forum, via ReutersMoran Stela Yanai, a self-employed artist and jewelry designer from Be’er Sheva, had gone to the Nova music festival in Re’im to sell her handmade jewelry, according to the hostages and missing families forum. Hostages and Missing Families Forum, via Associated PressLiam Or, a kindergarten teacher in Kibbutz Be’eri, was taken hostage at the home of his uncle.

Persons: Ra’aya Rotem, Reuters Ra’aya Rotem, Hila, Emily Hand, Ra’aya texted, Itay Regev, Associated Press Itay, Raz Ben, Ami, Ben, Ohad, Lior, Tarshansky, Reuma, Kamelia Hoter Ishay, ’ ”, ”, Gat, Roman Gat, Be’eri, Alon, Gefen, Liat Binin, Reuters Liat, Atzili, Aviv, Nir Oz, Moran, Yanai, Liam, Associated Press Liam, Dror, Noam, Alma, Ofir Engel, Associated Press Ofir Engel, Yuval Sharabi, Yossi Sharabi, “, ” Yael Engel Lichi, Amit Shani, Amit Shani Credit, Amit Shani’s, Tal Shani, ‘, Ms, Shani, Amit, ” Ms Organizations: Wednesday, Ra'aya Rotem Credit, Reuters, The, Associated Press, Hapoel Ashkelon, Marvel, Yad Vashem, Nova, Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer, Hamas Locations: Russian, Be’eri, Israel, The Times, Re’im, Gaza, Gali Tarshansky, Tarshansky, Tel Aviv, ‘ Gali, United States, Jerusalem, India, Kibbutz Be’eri, Alma

Another two Thai workers were set free on Tuesday, bringing the total released to 23. He said they remain in contact with him and send him updates about the release of hostages even before the news breaks. The Thai foreign ministry said three Thais were being treated for wounds in hospital. On Wednesday night, four additional Thai hostages were released. Israel says Hamas killed 1,200 people and took about 240 hostages back to Gaza on Oct. 7.

Persons: Parnpree Bahiddha, Nukara, Thais, Parnpree, Lerpong Syed, Israel, Juarawee Kittisilpa, Howard Goller, Sandra Maler, Stephen Coates Organizations: Thai Foreign, Shamir Medical Center, Hamas, Iran, Reuters, Thomson Locations: TEL AVIV, Israel, Thailand, Palestinian, Gaza, Thai

☆ Fears Grow Over Fate of Bibas Family in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Talya Minsberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The Bibas family said in a statement that they hoped the claims would be “refuted by military officials,” and thanked the Israeli public for its support. The three — Shiri Bibas, 32; Ariel Bibas, 4; and Kfir Bibas, 10 months old — were among the roughly 240 people taken hostage by Hamas and other groups on Oct. 7. On Wednesday morning, Yifat Zailer, Ms. Bibas’s cousin, described waiting for the lists of hostages set to be freed as “this horrible mathematical equation.”“Our hearts skip a beat every time,” Ms. Zailer said. “It’s really hard to breathe.”When the cease-fire was extended on Monday, Ms. Zailer found herself losing a sense of time. On Monday, Admiral Hagari said the Bibas family was being held not by Hamas, but by other armed groups in Gaza.

Persons: Daniel Hagari, Ariel Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Shiri Bibas, Nir Oz, Yarden Bibas, Ariel, Yifat Zailer, Bibas’s, ” Ms, Zailer, “, Admiral Hagari, Adraee, Younis, Yosi Silberman, Margit Silberman Schnaider, ” Organizations: Al, Brigades Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv

☆ Israeli ex-hostage says she confronted Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in Gaza tunnel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, an Israeli grandmother who was held hostage in Gaza looks on after being released by Hamas militants, at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel October 24, 2023. Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, was taken from her Kibbutz Nir Oz home in Israel to Gaza. She told the Israeli newspaper Davar she confronted Sinwar when he visited the hostages in an underground tunnel where Hamas was holding them captive. "Sinwar was with us three to four days after we arrived," Lifshitz told the Hebrew-language Davar newspaper. Speaking with reporters following her release from Hamas captivity last month, Lifshitz said that she "went through hell" during her two weeks as a hostage in the Gaza Strip.

Persons: Yocheved Lifshitz, Janis Laizans, Yahya Sinwar, Nir Oz, Sinwar, Lifshitz, Oded, Howard Goller, William Maclean Organizations: Hamas, Ichilov, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel

☆ This 10-month old is among the children still held captive or missing in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Ariel Bibas, 4, was kidnapped from his home in southern Israel by Hamas militants on October 7. The children do not cry, nor make a sound as Hamas militants surround their shaken mother, a blanket wrapped around her body. It’s so scary.”Hamas is believed to have held more than 200 hostages in Gaza prior to the releases negotiated with Israel. On Monday, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that the Bibas family is not currently held hostage by Hamas, which further complicates release efforts. An estimated eight children are still being held by Hamas, and their faces have galvanized a mourning nation clamoring for their return.

Persons: Bibas, Israel’s, Kfir’s, ” Eylon, ” Kfir, Ariel, Yarden, Nir Oz, Ariel Bibas, Yosi, Keshet, Yarden’s, ” Keshet, “, Daniel Hagari, Kfir, Shiri, “ Ariel, ”, Yifat Zailer, Zailer, gaunt Organizations: CNN, Israel, Palestinian Ministry of Health, West Bank, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas Locations: Israel, Israeli, Gaza, Tel Aviv, ”

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