Israel-Hamas Flash Report 26NOV23 14:45 PST - Far Less Cease-Fire Drama Today (Patreon)

Errors and Omissions: Yesterday, we reported that Hamas had released 18 hostages. The number was 17, with 9-year-old dual Irish-Israeli citizen Emily Hand counted among the Israelis released. Yesterday's total was 13 Israelis and 4 Thai nationals. We thank you for your understanding as we cut through the fog of war.

Things went much smoother on day three of the cease-fire, with 200 trucks of humanitarian aid crossing the Rafah checkpoint by 14:00 hours local time.

Another 17 hostages were released today - 14 Israelis and three Thai nationals. The group of hostages was turned over in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, where the IDF has not established military control. One hostage, 84-year-old Elma Avraham, was transported by helicopter to Soroka Hospital in critical condition. A spokesperson speaking on the record said she was admitted "in a debilitated physical state and a critical clinical state."

Two dual-citizens were released - one Russian-Israeli and one U.S.-Israeli - four-year-old Abigal Mor Edan, who had her birthday while in captivity. Hamas released the Russian-Israeli first, and in a statement, Hamas said it was done "in appreciation of the Russian position in support of the Palestinian cause." In October, Hamas had promised to release eight Russian hostages without condition after a visit to Moscow and then claimed they did not know the location of the Russian hostages.

One of the Thai nationals released, Phonsawan Pinakalo, was seen being wheeled into Al-Shifa Hospital on a stretcher in an October 7 security video with an apparent wound to the abdomen and leg.

Thirty-nine Palestinians were released, including a Gaza resident who was released at the Egyptian border, and 38 were released in the West Bank.

Hamas announced it was seeking to extend the ongoing cease-fire past Monday. Part of the existing terms is that if Hamas releases at least ten additional hostages a day, Israel is willing to extend the cease-fire another 24 hours, up to ten days. Hamas has released 58 hostages to date, and Israel has transferred 117 prisoners.

If the cease-fire agreement holds, Hamas will release ten more Israeli hostages, and Israel will transfer at least 33 Palestinian prisoners on Monday. There continue to be no serious violations of the cease-fire agreement.

In the West Bank, two men were extra-judicially executed by Palestinian militants after being accused of spying for Israel. The pair were publicly beaten and then shot in Tulkarm on Friday. Their bodies were dragged through the streets and then hung from an electrical tower.

After the extra-judicial killings, the Resistance Security organization, part of the Tulkarm Brigade, which is part of the Fatah Faction, declared there was "no immunity for any informant or traitor" and vowed to kill any known spies and informants if they don't come forward and "repent" by December 5.

In Burlington, Vermont (USA), three Palestinian college students from the West Bank city of Ramallah were shot by an unknown assailant who fired at least four rounds and then fled on foot. Of the three students who were traveling to have Thanksgiving Dinner with a friend, two are expected to recover fully, with the third in critical condition. According to the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee, the three were wearing keffiyehs and speaking Arabic when an unknown white assailant shot them. Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad told reporters, "In this charged moment, no one can look at this incident and not suspect that it may have been a hate-motivated crime."

Chief Murad said there were no exchanges between the shooter and the victims. This contradicts earlier reports that the three were yelled at and harassed before being shot. We cannot verify the details of the events that led up to the shooting.

The White House and the FBI are aware of the incident. In a statement, the FBI said, "If, in the course of the local investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate."