This week on News 24, Israel under attack. News 24 in Spanish brings the analysis and the information about the events of the war, Spades of Iron. Exclusive interviews and reports from the war zone, the reaction of the Spanish-speaking countries. News 24, the only medium in Spanish that keeps you informed and connected with the Latin community in Israel. News 24, only on I-24 News. Welcome back. The Israeli government has agreed on a deal for the release of some of the hostages being held by terrorists in Gaza. 50 women and children will be freed over a period of four days in exchange for a pause in the fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, all of them either female or under the age of 18. O Hamas says that the truce will come into force at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Israel says the truce will be limited to no more than 10 days. So how will a temporary pause in the fighting affect the IDF's operations in Gaza? Joining me now, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Loner is the IDF spokesperson. Thank you very much for being with us, Peter. So first of all, what will Hamas be able to do with a multi-day pause in the fighting? So I know what we'll be able to do, Laura. We'll be able to regroup and prepare ourselves for the next stages. The government has been very clear that the war is not ending. This is a hiatus in order to bring home hostages. This is one of the war goals. This is one of our goals in order to bring the people home. 236 Israelis and foreign nationals being held unlawfully by Hamas. So our goal in this pause, in this operational pause will be to allow them to come home. We need to be prepared and indeed, we've learned our lessons from the past how Hamas can't really be trusted. And so we need to be prepared. We need to be strong in our defensive positions and we need to be prepared for any eventuality that Hamas may try and take advantage of a pause. And can you confirm that the truth will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday? So I think now there's a legal process that will dictate timing. When we receive the instructions, whether it's 10 or earlier or later, that is when we will be implementing it not a moment before. The reality is, of course, on the battlefield is also dynamic because as we speak, Laura, the battles and the war fighting is continuing and we are continuing to hunt down and kill Hamas terrorists wherever we see them. They are still operating from within their tunnels and wherever they are launching their attacks from. And so we are continuing our offensive against them in order to destroy and decapitate their capabilities and make sure that they can never attack us again. So until the pause is implemented, we are continuing our war effort. And are you confident that the IDF will be able to recover the momentum necessary to finish off Hamas? Is there a risk that there might be some pressure on Israel to hold back from finishing the job? We receive our instructions from the government and if the government has told us to move forward, we will continue to move forward. The momentum is dictated not only by the actions on the ground but also the implementation of a strategic plan of a step-by-step plan, a strike-by-strike plan. We know how to do this and we can hold defensive positions if that brings home hostages. I think that is what is most important at this stage is that we can bring home as many people as possible. And this is what the framework is supposed to give us that window to bring women and children home. That's what's important at this stage. Can you tell us a bit about the IDF's achievements so far then? We hear today that 400 tunnel shafts have been destroyed. So essentially that means that any terrorists in those tunnels will not be able to get out. We seem to have lost Peter Lernert there, a bit of a sound problem. So we have got this report for you. You're lost here. Oh no, he's back with us. Peter, apologies for that. We lost you for a second. Can you tell us a bit? Can you hear me, Peter? Peter, can you hear me? All right, we've got a bit of a technical problem there. Let's bring in this report then, Ariel Levin-Walman, on what the IDF has achieved in Northern Gaza so far. All right, Peter, are you back with us? Yes, I am, sorry for that. Apologies, we're having a few technical problems. Not sure if it's our end or your end, Peter. I was just asking you about the IDF's achievements so far in Northern Gaza, especially with regard to the tunnel networks. So tunnel network is a huge challenge. And indeed, we announced this morning of 400 tunnel access points that we've destroyed throughout the last six weeks. It is, you know, they have hundreds of kilometers of tunnels that they've built, I would say at the expense of the people of Gaza. And it is part of their modus operandi to exploit the civilian arena and hospitals extensively and also mosques and UN facilities. And this is where these tunnels are running from place to place, from location to location. And we are in the course of dismantling, destroying and making sure that these tunnels do not give Hamas any sort of advantage on the battleground, but rather pose as a potential death trap for them. And that is why you see this imagery of us dismantling and destroying their capabilities, their subterranean capabilities, taking away that what they thought was to be an advantage, I would say access point to access point or peer by peer. Turning it into a disadvantage for them by the looks of it. And in terms of how many terrorists have been killed, do you have any figures on that? Several thousands of terrorists have been killed in exchanges either from direct strikes or attacks against their locations and positions that they've done. We've lost sound there. Okay, that was Peter Loner. He's one of the spokesman for the idea. Here's that report then on what Israel has achieved in its 47 day war against Hamas so far. Israel has been at war for a month and a half. Now, as ceasefire looms, what has been accomplished? We're almost complete occupation of the northern part of the Gaza Strait. This is very important because the main headquarters of Hamas in Metro Gaza and in the Saram names is exactly these days is being destroyed. In the north of the Gaza Strip, the IDF estimates it has killed 4,000 terrorists so far, 10% of Hamas and Islamic jihad's fighting force. This alongside demolishing 30% of Hamas's underground infrastructure in the north of Gaza and killing scores of battalion commanders, shattering Hamas' chain of command. The north is where the bulk of Hamas' rockets restored, evidenced by the drastic decrease in fire on Israel's center and the military says that Hamas' political control in the north has been over for weeks as hundreds of thousands of Gazans flee south. They are moving because they understand Hamas has lost control in the north and that the south is safer. A safer area where they receive medicine, water and food. They understand it's an improvement. The IDF is beginning fighting in the Jabalia sector, a fortified Hamas complex with heavy concentrations of military assets, but there is still much to do. Jabalia is not yet taken and the fighting there will not only be heavy, but the ceasefire gives Hamas an opportunity to regroup, reestablish chains of command, reposition its war machines. Meanwhile, 90% of its fighting force still remains. The military and the intelligence community told the government, told the cabinet that they can deal with any consequence of this pause. We say, you know, that Hamas will take the opportunity to reinforce itself, to reorganize itself, but it's true also about the IDF. And even after Jabalia is taken, likely at a higher cost than before the ceasefire, the war must inevitably move south. So long as Hamas remains, the mission is not over. A full half of its forces are estimated to be spread around the rest of Gaza, meaning ceasefire or not, there is still much work to do. Well, let's find out what's happening in Gaza right now. Our Pierre Kloschendler is down in southern Israel. Pierre, what is the latest this hour? Well, I'll show you with Dean Barenboe, my cameraman. The IDF is pounding the area of Petra Nun and northern Jabalia on the outskirts in Sherzahid neighborhood on the northwestern outskirts. A lot of bombing, I would say, which doesn't announce a ceasefire, but that's obviously an intensification, maybe due to destroyed as much as there are structures before the start of the humanitarian truce. And at the same time, a way maybe to consolidate Israeli positions, both offensive and defensive. Offensive because there is no great trust between the IDF and Hamas, obviously. In 2014, during a previous operation inside the Gaza Strip, there was a ceasefire that was broken immediately almost. By Hamas, they kidnapped two bodies of soldiers after killing them. The bodies of these soldiers are still in the hands of Hamas nine years later. So the IDF doesn't want a rehearsal of what happened then. And at the same time, there is some sort of window of opportunity for the remaining residents of the northern sector of the Gaza Strip who are trapped in the battleground in spite of the IDF urging them to leave since the 5th of November. There are, according to the UN, 167,000 Palestinians that are still in the battlefield and need to leave south. And maybe these five days with the realization that it's only for five days or maybe even a bit longer, but that the war will restart, maybe that realization will bring about a change in the behavior of that non-involved population and they will maybe move south, which would make the task of destroying the Hamas structures in the northern sector of the Gaza Strip much easier. Pierre, thank you very much indeed. Pierre Closhander there in the south of Israel with the very latest on the ongoing war in Gaza. Now on day 47, of course, of Israel's war with Hamas. Well, let's get an update on what's happening in the north, where Israel has been engaged in a tip-for-tack clashes, if you like, with the Iranian-backed terrorist group, Hezbollah. Our Robert Swift is there. Rob, we hear that the Iranian foreign minister has jetted into Beirut today. That's right, he arrives just at a time as things seem to be escalating slightly here on the northern border. In the last hour, Hezbollah have said that they have conducted three separate rocket attacks against Israeli positions. Now, the first of these, they said that they conducted with a Burkana rocket, which is a relatively new weapon system that Hezbollah are using. It's a short-ranged heavy artillery rocket. Now, yes, as you say, the Iran's foreign minister flew into Beirut airport. He has described, in his words, the last six weeks of resistance and has essentially lauded it, saying that the Palestinian people are the only ones who will decide their future and the future of Gaza. Now, it was expected that there would be a part of an, a somewhat of an escalation here as the ceasefire is on the horizon. However, it's not yet clear if what we've seen so far today represents that escalation or if it's just essentially more business as usual. And just finally, one last update with regards to Iraq. We spoke an hour ago about the strikes that were conducted by the United States military. It's just been announced there that as many as eight fighters from, from Iran-backed militias were killed in those strikes. All right, Rob, thank you very much indeed. Rob Swift there with the very latest on the situation in the north. We can get more now on the deal. Israel has approved, which will see the release of some 50 Israeli hostages being held by terrorists in Gaza, all of them women and children. In exchange, there will be a pause in fighting. And 150 Palestinian prisoners, all of them either female or under the age of 18, are to be released as well. Our Middle East correspondent, Arilot Iran, has more. 47 days since the start of the war in Gaza and a glimmer of hope for the families of over 230 hostages held captive by Hamas. Early Tuesday morning, Israel's cabinet approved a hostage deal with Hamas that would see the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a four-day ceasefire. Tonight, we face a difficult decision, but it is the right decision. All the security factors fully support it. They clarified in their full professional assessment the security of our forces will be guaranteed during the days of ceasefire and that the intelligence effort will be maintained. Under the deal confirmed also by the U.S. and Qatar, 50 civilian hostages will be released in four batches, one day at a time. After four days, the ceasefire will be extended by one day for the release of 10 additional hostages. In exchange, Israel will release 150 Palestinian security prisoners, women and minors, but non-convicted of murder. Israel commits to limit its drone surveillance activity in northern Gaza and to completely suspend it in the south during the ceasefire. Israel will also allow 300-day trucks to enter Gaza, including fuel. Without the continuation of military pressure, there won't be any chance to bring back the next groups of hostages that we want to bring back. I believe that we are at a decisive moment in this matter and we all hope that there will be a temporary truce according to which the hostilities will be halted for a few days. Relief entry to our people will be intensified and civilians, women and children, will be exchanged for women and children from the occupation prisons. The Lebanese newspaper Nidal Watan reports that while not a side to the deal, Hezbollah will adhere to the ceasefire as well, provided Israel does so too. As for the families of the hostages, news of the expected deal were received with mixed feelings. On one side, I'm happy.  There was 40 children in Gaza and they go through this only 30. Where are the others? I don't know. And I hope that everybody will release. A deal with the devil, some Israelis are calling this, but with no real alternative, Israel will have to prove that the war effort is interred by it. The same thing goes to the chances to bring back the rest of the hostages. And Ariane is with me in the studio now to talk a bit more about that deal. And we've been hearing from Israeli officials last night and this morning, it's not a perfect deal, but it is the best deal that they can get at this time. It is, unfortunately. And look, you can mount up the criticism regarding all the movies in the 90s and 2000s. They say, we don't negotiate with terrorists, right? That's the key thing. That's what's happening here. It's not the first time. The situation that Israel is in is a bad situation. And the question is, is this deal the best deal that it could have achieved under the given circumstances? Perhaps. I don't think there's anyone who can say that there was a better deal on the table that could and should have been agreed upon right now. And that is despite clear downsides to this deal. First of all, stopping the momentum. The IDF is in very positive momentum in its eyes as far as its military advancement so far that puts that on hold. The fact that it is agreeing to suspend all aerial surveillance activity over Southern Gaza, which is believed to be the next target, the next phase of the ground operation, that also doesn't help. Having the forces remain on the ground for four days, basically motionless, that also doesn't help. And the fact that you're separating, creating a distinction between some hostages and others are staying. That is something that is heartbreaking for any family as we heard one family member who has seven of his relatives held captive in Gaza. He doesn't know if any of the seven, all of the seven, some of the seven, I mean, these are the questions that these people are asking. By drip, by drip, isn't it? We pretend hostages per day spread out over several days. And that's for the 50. I mean, and even that is a drop in term, or it's a little more than a drop, but it is not even half, not even a quarter of the hostages being held. And that's at the end of this process. But it is supposed to cover all of the children. So it's supposed to cover all the children, but there's a caveat to that because Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad don't hold all the children. They said that not all the children are accounted for. They outsourced, but also you could see in the footage of October 7th that some of the hostages were taken by regular civilians, not in uniform, not any apparent affiliation to any terror group. And so what Hamas is saying is that we have in our midst 30 children who are hostages. That's from what they took and what Palestinian Islamic Jihad took and the other factions. But they're saying there are still children who are unaccounted for. And that raises a difficulty at the start. But this is one example of problems that could arise as this process continues. Suddenly, it's not 10. It's one day because they couldn't find two others or there could be a small flare-up or a breach of the ceasefire. Israel, to that, Israel said that it will respond unproportionately to any breach of the ceasefire. I'll remind you, in 2014, there were no fewer than 13 ceasefires that were broken by Hamas. In one of those, Hidalgoldin, the soldier, was kidnapped through a tunnel. He is believed to be dead for the past seven years. His body held by Hamas in Gaza. But that's one example as to the ways Hamas can take advantage of this lull in the fighting to try and better its positioning, given that it sustains severe damage, at least its forces. And the ceasefire is supposed to come into force at 10 AM tomorrow morning. So when might we see the first hostages released? So as the day progresses, we'll get more and more information because there's also reporting that Israeli media reported that it will come into effect at 5 AM. Moussa Boumarzouk, Hamas official, saying that it will come into effect at 10 AM. It could be a range of time because you have to have three things happen. You have to have a cessation in the fighting. You have to hand over the Israeli hostages. And then the Palestinian prisoners are to be released. And the Red Cross will be involved in that, won't they? Finally, yes, that is good news. And also, my understanding is that under this agreement, the Red Cross will receive access to the remaining hostages held in Gaza who are not being released. That also is a significant achievement. The fact that this has to be in diplomatic negotiations and not part of their automatic job as it is in their charter, that's another question. And this will bring back bad memories for a lot of people in Israel to the Gilad Shalit deal, the deal to free one soldier, Gilad Shalit, in exchange for what was it? 12, 1,029. 1,027, yeah. And 27 terrorists were released, including, of course, Yahya Sinwar, the head of the army. Yeah, and in that deal, the ones who were released back to Gaza had to vow not to return to terror. I think we have at least one Yahya Sinwar and many of his comrades, some dead, some still hiding in tunnels that can prove that that didn't happen, given the complete lack of necessity for such a vow given that you can't enforce it. That was dropped. That is not in this agreement. So it won't be taken advantage of cynically. But not only does this raise the memory. The memory is constant of that deal and of the dangers of that deal, because many of those who were released in that deal, including, as you mentioned, Hamas leader and Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, were in Israeli prisons. They were released. My understanding is that, at least in the first batch of 150, they'll all be sent back to the West Bank. That's where they were arrested. People are going to be sent back to their home of residence. My understanding is that this won't include terrorists from Gaza, at least not in this initial stage. Because if we look at the goal of Hamas is to release all of its prisoners, and we're talking about over 6,000. And for Yahya Sinwar, this is a mission, a life mission of his ever since he came out of prison, 2011, saying, we will not rest until we free all of our brothers from prison. That was in 2011. 12 years later, we're still on that trajectory of his claim. Right. And so 50 hostages due to be released according to this deal over the next few days. And of course, Israel's double mission, one, destroy Hamas, and two, bring all of the hostages home. I mean, what are the chances of that happening? Well, according to this, this deal brings the second of those goals a bit closer. It's a significant number of hostages. Even the release of one hostage is significant. But the fact that we're talking about at least 50 with the possibility of extending that to 10 more every day, which will also include another day of ceasefire, that's also on the table. Israel is in the unfortunate position that it can't really leverage its position more than it has already. It's in a position where it has to take whatever it's offered. But this is indeed a significant offer. And given that it's believed that any future deals will be based on the benchmark of this initial deal, the fact that we're talking about the number 50, that is a significant benchmark moving forward. But obviously, Israel's dealing with a vicious terror organization that continues to this moment to carry out psychological warfare on the Israeli public till this moment holds 236 hostages, at least 30 of them children. And so the fact that they're releasing some of them does not point to any humanity that they found in themselves. But it does give them further opportunities as the situation gets more sensitive to continue with these really evil tactics. And so this is something that the Israeli public needs to move forward cautiously and patiently as this hostage deal continues to come into fruition. But again, this is just the first step and there is a long ways to go until Israel manages to release all, to free all of its hostages. A lot of people, of course, still being held by terrorists in Gaza. Ariel, thank you very much indeed. Ariel Ossaran there. And we have this report for you now because one of the outcomes of the massacre on October 7th is that many people have been left with life changing injuries. This report on the organization for handicapped IDF veterans, Uri Shapiro reports. The horrific events of October 7th changed many things in Israeli society. One of them is the treatment of the disabled. Edan Klyman, the chairman of the handicapped IDF veterans organization, says that the organization is ready to accept thousands of new wounded people. We assume that the number of IDF disabled people will be in the same proportion that in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. We are ready to treat around 10,000 IDF wounded. We already know about around 2,000 physical injuries and we expect up to 10,000 people to suffer from PTSD. In the past, we had three degrees of preparation, short-term, medium-term and long-term. Today, we've moved everything to the short-term. Here in the handicapped IDF veterans center in Tel Aviv, a new call center was recently opened. Dozens of volunteers call the disabled soldiers and take care of their needs. Me too. Time for a break, stay with us. Israel is in a state of war. Families completely gone down in their beds. We have no idea where she is. Our soldiers are fighting on the front lines, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well. There have been countless memorable moments, broadcasting with I-24 News in the past six years. But for me, the one that stands out the most was the first time that I had ever personally heard a rocket siren sounding in Tel Aviv. And at that moment, we were live on air in studio. I will never forget the moment our senior producer said to me in my ear, the sirens are sounding in Tel Aviv. The control room is going to the shelter. With me in studio at the time, were Michael Herzog, a former Brigadier General. Today, the Israeli ambassador to the United States. And Arsene Ostrovsky, an international human rights lawyer. And their responses were completely different. Michael Herzog was calm and composed. And on the other hand, Arsene Ostrovsky was trying to phone his family and check in to make sure that his loved ones were okay. The camera that normally faces us was hoisted from above. There was an overhead shot of the three of us in the studio. You could see colleagues going to the shelter if you looked at the glass behind the studio. And obviously we lost contact with our team on the ground, our reporters in Ashkelon, and all the witnesses that we were speaking to during that time. When rockets are coming towards a residential area, they don't distinguish between race, religion, political views, cultural views. They just intend to harm civilians.  And the fighting continues in Gaza, ahead of a four-day truce that is expected to come into force on Thursday. That, as part of a deal Israel has agreed to, in exchange for the release of 50 women and children who are being held by terrorists in Gaza, 150 Palestinian prisoners will be released along with that deal, all of them under the age of 18 or female. The list does include those who have been jailed for attempted murder. So the Israeli government has agreed to that deal. While Mayan Sheriman's 19-year-old son, Ron, a soldier, was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, and Mayan joins us now. Thank you very much for being with us, Mayan. Tell me, how do you feel about this deal? Because, of course, it only covers women and children, doesn't it? And your son, Ron, he wouldn't be on that list of hostages to be released. It's heartbreaking to say that, but that is the hard truth, isn't it? Yes, it is. But I think that it opens, you know, it gives us hope that there would be more releases in the next future. Ron is 19, so until one year ago, he's considered a child, he's himself, and what we are going through is something that you cannot imagine. It's like, you know, every day is a new nightmare. And we are really happy for the families to receive the loved ones these the coming few days. But we just want everybody to know it's very important for us that it won't stop there. There must be, they must bring everybody back.   We just really hope that it will end for us too in the few days in the same way. Oh, no, it's been 47 days now, it's horrifying. How are you getting through it? How are you and your family getting through it? We just, you know, we have hope that we will see him. We have hope, we trust our government. We trust our, you know, the IDF. We think that they're doing whatever they can in order to bring him back. We really believe that they're doing so. We believe in Ron too.  He can be, you know, he can deal with this situation. And we, you know, the only things that we are worried about was his asthma. But now we just receive that we understand that the Red Cross will finally be able to get to the hostages and to give them their medications. So it gives us, really, it gives us hope that we will see him too in the early future. Yeah, that's something, isn't it, at least, to know that the Red Cross finally will be trying to fulfill its obligations to see the hostages and make sure that they are getting the medical care that they need. Tell me a bit about Ron. He's 19, so he'd only just begun his military service, is that right? And he was actually, you know, he wasn't a fighting soldier. He was actually helping the civilians in Gaza. That was his job, wasn't it? Helping getting supplies to them to make their lives better. This is the irony, really, because, you know, he stayed in this base, this terrible, this Saturday to, you know, just to help the Palestinian people to keep the economy. He was, as you said, he was checking the trades that went into the Gaza Strip and back to Israel. This was his job. This was the base, this was what his base was doing. He wasn't a combat soldier. He was, you know, he was like a clerk walking for, and he loved his jobs. He loved walking with the Palestinian people. He showed me a lot of what's up that he had with them in English. And this is the irony that we, you know, he was the one that really believed in peace and wanting to help them and see what they have done to him and to us. It's, you know, it's terrible. It's beyond terrible. Mayan, I can't imagine what you're going through. You're amazing to keep going and keep talking about your son. Ron sounds like a great guy, and we hope that he'll be back with you with the rest of your family soon. Thank you so much, Mayan. Mayan Sherman there. Thank you, Mayan. Thank you. Thank you. Her 19-year-old son, one of the hostages. While many members of Israel's Bedouin community were murdered and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, among them Fatima Atal-Lachat, she was a 35-year-old mother of nine. She was shot dead. Her family members say her body was riddled with bullets. Bedouin men, meanwhile, saved dozens of Israeli lives in Kibbutz Berri and in Re'im. And a child is among the six Bedouin hostages. A member of the Islamist Ra'an parties requesting that they, all six of them, be included in the current hostage deal. With the coexistence organization, have you seen the horizon lately, has made a short film about how Israel's Bedouin community was affected on October 7th? Let's take a look. I said to Fatima, Ashadunna la ilaha Lollah, Ashadunna Mohammad Rasulallah. You have been in the school, you have been in the school, you have been in the school, you have been in the eyes. You have been in the school of my son, he has been in the old school, and he has nothing, except for his parents. I believe, I saw Bellar, the hero of this great legend. So I went to visit Bellar. I got to know him very well. And I was very happy. I wanted to go to the world with his mother. After five hours, four of the heroes of Hamas came to visit Bellar. They were here. As soon as I heard the other side, I was shocked. I remember Bellar, the hero of this great legend. Hamas was standing next to me. One of them said, Take them to visit Bellar, a six or seven meters away. And take care of all of them.     I said to them, You're the hero of this great legend. They were going to visit Bellar and take care of all of them. They were going to visit Bellar. They were going to visit Bellar. I went to the temple. We took care of the heroes. They brought water to us. They brought water to my son. And my son's grave. And my son's grave is in the middle. And he's in the middle. And he's still alive. He was Jewish. He was a Jew. He was Jewish. And my son's grave is in the middle. He was Jewish. I don't know. I just went to the temple. And I went to the temple. I went to the temple. I went to the temple with my son. I was going to go and hang myself. I was going to go to the temple. I don't know why. He's a great Christian. He's a Christian. There are four sons who do not know the Qur'an, who do not know the Qur'an. If you want to know Islam, we will tell you. If you want to know Islam, we will tell you. Islam is not an American society. Islam is not a phoenix. It is not a phoenix. Even the Arabs and the Israelis saw it. It is not a phoenix. If you want to do something different, everyone in this country needs to be a phoenix. Arabs, Jews need to be a phoenix. Other than someone who can do it, there is no time for that. Well, the director of that film, Raghav Contest, is with me in the studio now. Very moving, very powerful. Thank you for joining us. Thank you. Tales of bravery, horror, disbelief.  Yeah, I think even more. They were affected physically, because many of them walked in the kibbutz near the border. And they hit pretty bad like Ahmed here in the film. And they got kidnapped of their own. And they got injured and missing. And of course, casualties, dead people. But also mentally, I think they were shocked. Because many of them had families in Gaza. I mean, Hamid here was born in Gaza. Oh, really? Okay. Yeah, he was born and raised outside of Gaza. And they were shocked to realize how ruthless, how cruel, and the fact that they did not distinguish.  They came to kill everybody here. And like he said, his wife was a devoted Muslim. I mean, what's the beef with her? Right.  His wife was a devout Muslim, studied the Quran.  You know, how are they using our religion to justify their heinous acts? Yeah, it's not the only case. I've come across many, many Bedouins in the south that told me that they've seen clearly that these are like Muslims and Arabs. And they did it anyway. In some cases, they did it because of it.   And this is like, I think it's... The thing is with the Bedouins, they're not only injured and they rescue many, many, many Jews. Yes. I mentioned in the introduction, they took their guns and they went to defend people. They went towards the danger. And they saved many lives in Kibbutz Berry, I believe. In Kibbutz Berry and in the party in Reim and in many other places, but one correction with no guns. I've met few of them, a lot of them that just went in with their cars and nothing more. To rescue people? Rescue people. They did. We're talking about 30, 30 people in the restaurant saved by four guys.  And he saved many more. And I think it's a new alliance that is coming now between the Bedouins in the south and the Jews in Israel.  It's horrible that it had to come to this. But do you think one of the, you know, outcomes is that the various communities in Israel are closer? We have seen a poll that Israeli Arabs say they feel more Israeli than they did before this. Yeah, I think Hamas drew a thick line, very thick and black line, and it's not gray anymore. It's black and white. You either with them or you are with us. And I don't say that he drew this line between Israelis and Palestinians. He drew this line between Israelis and Hamas. And this makes the decision for the Bedouins and for many Arabs in Israel more easy. You know, we have a lot of debates and a lot of disagreements and even a lot of hostility between Arabs and Jews in Israel. But in the end, when it matters, I think, yeah, we see this in the polls and we see it every day on the street. Which is very different to what we saw in 2021. The last time there was a war, I mean, not on anything near this scale, but the last time there was a conflict between Israel and Hamas, we did see some tensions within the Israeli Arab communities. It doesn't seem to be the case at all this time around. No, it's the opposite. It's the opposite. And I think we are in an NGO. We monitor this Arab-Jews relationship for the last four or five years. And we see, every year, we see, except us, 2021 riots, we see growing connections between those two populations, growing confidence, growing mutual trust, mutual projects. It's an incredible thing to see. We have Bibi to thank too, because without him, it would never be so fast. But the fact is that Israeli Arabs are part of the Israeli society. There's no denying it. They're not going anywhere. We are not going anywhere. I think it's between 20% and 25%. Yeah, it's about 20%, 21%, 22%. Arab Muslim. Yeah. But by the way, in the hospital, amongst the medical crews, it's even larger percent. It's like 25% of the medical crews. If you take the Israeli Arabs out of Israel, Israel will collapse. We are one society. Different parts of one society, but one society. I think this is a 7 October massacre. Just put an exclamation point after this. What is interesting is that when you see these so-called progressive students and whatnot around the world who say they're protesting on behalf of the Arabs, they seem to completely overlook the fact that in Israel, Arab citizens have equal rights to everyone else in Israel. I mean, it seems like something doesn't quite compute there with this anti-Israel movement. Yeah, because they look from a great distance and with not a lot of knowledge, background knowledge. And I'm not denying for a minute that there's a conflict. There's an Israeli-Palestinian conflict and there is an Israeli-Jewish Arab conflict in Israel. But also we have this. I mean, there are conflicts between various groups in Europe, for example, and in the United States. I mean, Israel is kind of similar to other countries in that way, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, and I think the students, the so-called progressive students in the big university in the West should take a closer look. Because from a closer look, it's sometimes the opposite of what they're saying. I know that the young, the hip, they join everybody. They say, I've seen this video when they say it from the river to the sea and they ask which river and which sea, and they don't know.  But we live here. We don't have the luxury of just summing it all up to a slogan or something. Because we have a saying in our NGOs that whatever happens, whatever debate going on, we are a partner in faith. Whatever happens to this country happens to all of us. It happens to the Israeli Arab. It's happened to the Israeli Jews. And it happens in the corona crisis, during the corona crisis. We've been through this together and it happens now. We're part of one people. It's a new thing to comprehend. But it's something that we all have to get used to. And just to go back to Hamad and the other Bedouin guys that you met when you made your film. I mean, how are they getting through it now? How is their community kind of coming back from this? And are they getting the support that they need? Let's start from the end. They don't get the support that they need. Nobody in Israel gets the support that they need. And thanks to this horrible government, I'm hoping I can say that. But this horrible government is not only to blame what happened on October 7th, but to blame what happened since October 7th. And nobody's getting the help that they need in Israel. But the Bedouin community, which is disconnected, sometimes literally, I mean, there's the roads that are impossible to get. And sometimes there's no electricity. A lack of shelter as well. A lack of shelters, yeah. They're right in the front line of the missile. Yeah, yeah. There's a couple of ones that just got hit by a missile. One of them killed. The other family just got hit at the homeroom. So they don't get the help they need. But I think that, as I said, they're in shock. But I think we have this beautiful project, if I may say. So Fire and Geodes in Rahat, which is the largest Bedouin city, it's like an emergency room. The first Arab emergency room. And we have contribution for all of the country raised by Jews and Muslims and distributed to Muslims and Jewish families. And projects like this, I mean, for me, it's like we're building something new. I mean, I believe that after the war, I'm sorry to say that, but the Israeli entering ticket is blood. And they shed a lot of blood. And I think Jewish people here started to see the doubt of our partners and our allies. And I believe that things will change. OK, well, nice to end on a positive message. Thank you very much, Regan. Thank you. Regan, contest there. Thank you very much. Well, Kibble's Bayeri was one of the Kibble team's hardest hit by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. Dozens of civilians, including young children, were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. In a stark visual reminder of this crime against humanity, the children's toys have been put on display at an exhibition in Tel Aviv. Our Esther Aiden has this report. On October 7th, Hamas terrorists kidnapped 29 residents of Kibble's Bayeri, among them 11 children. These torn and burnt toys collected from the Kibble's tell the stories in place of their owners. These toys are eyewitnesses to what children went through there after fires, abuse, massacre, and that is what is left after these horrible atrocities. Those toys that were found say two things. Either the kid was rescued and didn't take it with him, or the child is not with us anymore, and the toy will never go back to its owner. Lilah, one of the Kibble's Bayeri residents, recalls what happened there on the Shabbat of October 7th. I was in a shelter in Bayeri for 27 hours, without water, food, without any possibility to go out under ceaseless fire from rockets, RPGs, and small arms. Lilah survived the Hamas massacre, but her loved ones were taken hostage. For more than a month, she's had no information about them. We don't know anything about them. Nobody tells us anything. The Red Cross is not even trying to reach them. Seems like it's not interesting at all to the United Nations and other organizations that should take care of them. The Kibble Lilah is waiting for. Nine-year-old Emily Hand was first reported killed and is now believed to be held hostage in Gaza. I think one of the friends who was rescued from the Kibbutz saw somebody's body and thought that it's her and told them about that. But later on, there were testimonies about her walking with Raya and Hila, taken by terrorists in direction of Gaza Strip. The lives of Israelis today are full of uncertainty, as they don't even know whether their loved ones are alive or not. The only thing left to do is to speak up and make the world understand what happened on October 7th. It doesn't matter if you're a fan of Israel or not. It is only about being human and supporting humanity. We address each mother, each woman around the world and ask how they can continue their routine. When they know about 10-month-old baby taken hostage and being in Hamas captivity alone, we hear we cannot continue our routine. The world needs to understand that it is not possible to keep silent. The world needs to understand that it cannot continue its routine when there are children taken hostage. Now these are our kids, but next time it can be any kid around the world. It can be my kid, it can be your kid, it can be any kid abroad. The organization, Free Our Kids, is in a race to reach ambassadors and international organizations. All the time, every single day, we are sending letters to the Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations, so they will hear our cry. And after this event, we will also send the pictures. While Israeli officials are making an effort to bring the hostages back, they also remind the world about Israel's right to defend itself. Unfortunately, people don't realize what really happened. They try to forget it and we can't forget and we can't forgive. And we have all of the legitimate that we need to vanish Hamas. This terror organization needs to be out of this world, not only for Israel, also for the rest of the free world. They were not the only ones who came to the exhibition. They were joined by neighbors from other Southern Kibbutzim who survived the massacre. On that Saturday, I had bicycle training and there was a heavy rocket barrage. We decided to cancel the class and go back home. On the way there, we ran into 15 terrorists lying on the road who opened fire at us. It felt like a car crash. The windows shattered, a tire exploded and my ears were ringing. We turned around with the back of the car towards them. They ceased fire. My friend's father got out and shouted, Hey soldiers, don't shoot at us. At first, we were sure that they were our soldiers. Itai and his team managed to escape and get first aid. In the meantime, his parents were in a shelter at home, knowing their son was wounded and not capable of helping him. The only thing they could do was hope for the best. We personally faced miracles on that Shabbat as a tie was not killed and was not kidnapped. But after we got these miracles, for us as residents of the area, it's important to bring hostages back. That is the first mission. The residents of southern communities live with the hope that they will soon see their kidnapped friends, relatives and children. But in the meantime, all they have left of them are these mementos and memories. Well, the Israeli networks have been full of stories about soldiers getting a break from the frontline to greet their newborn babies. In some cases, get married or just have a good old sing-song with their buddies. Let's have a look at this one. This is Moshe and he spent his leave visiting his friends at the Shalva organization, where he does volunteer normally during peace time. Here he is visiting with one of the kids, Schneer, and as you can see, he was more than happy to be reunited with his old friend. Shalva takes care of children who have disabilities and their families to help integrate them into wider society. So that's where Moshe, a soldier on the frontline, chose to spend his leave. Go and see his old friend Schneer. There we are. Taking a little break from the tragedy time to time is important, isn't it, from morale for all of us. All right, we're going to take a short break. Do stay with us on I-24 News. Benita Levine will be here next with all the latest updates. We have no idea where she is. Our soldiers are fighting on the frontline, but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well. Come to the special broadcast here on I-24 News as we continue our rolling coverage. Day 47 of the war here in Israel. It's a deal with the devil, but a deal worthwhile. In less than 24 hours, the hostage release agreed on now with Hamas is set to begin with a potential cease of fire by 10 a.m. local time. Following which, the first group of hostages, children, their mothers and elderly women, kidnapped from their beds on October 7, supposed to be making their way back home from captivity into Gaza Strip to Israel. Nerve-wracking hours are still ahead as God is in the details and so is the devil. Many questions still unanswered. Who will return and who won't? How will families be split up? What will happen to those who remain captive? And whether Hamas who is engaged in extortion more than negotiations will actually deliver its part of the deal without last-minute tricks and what happens if it won't? One thing's for certain. There's a difference between a price and a cost in bringing the hostages back home is worth it all. I-24 News' Middle East correspondent Ariel Osteron with the Hostage Deal Outline. 47 days since the start of the war in Gaza and a glimmer of hope for the families of over 230 hostages held captive by Hamas. Early Tuesday morning, Israel's cabinet approved a hostage deal with Hamas that would see the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a four-day ceasefire. Tonight, we face a difficult decision, but it is the right decision. All the security factors fully support it. They clarified in their full professional assessment the security of our forces will be guaranteed during the days of ceasefire and that the intelligence effort will be maintained. Under the deal, confirmed also by the US and Qatar, 50 civilian hostages will be released in four batches one day at a time. After four days, the ceasefire will be extended by one day for the release of 10 additional hostages. In exchange, Israel will release 150 Palestinian security prisoners, women and minors, but non-convicted of murder. Israel commits to limit its drone surveillance activity in northern Gaza and to completely suspend it in the south during the ceasefire. Israel will also allow 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza, including fuel. Without the continuation of military pressure, there won't be any chance to bring back the next groups of hostages I believe that we are at a decisive moment in this matter and we all hope that there will be a temporary truce according to which the hostilities will be halted for a few days. Relief entry to our people will be intensified and civilians, women and children, will be exchanged for women and children from the occupation prisons. The Lebanese newspaper Nidal Watan reports that while not a side to the deal, Hezbollah will adhere to the repeated Israel does so too. As for the families of the hostages, news of the expected deal were received with mixed feelings. On one side, I'm happy.  Okay? There was 40 children in South Gaza and they were 30. Where are the others? I don't know and I hope that everybody will release. A deal with the devil, some Israelis are calling this, but with no real alternative, Israel will have to prove that the war effort isn't heard by it. The same thing goes to the chances to bring back the rest of the hostages. And we want to welcome now Yair Rotem, whose sister Baya is being held hostage by Hamas for 47 days now. And yet, a glimmer of hope today. Yair Rotem, thank you so very much for speaking with us live from Rome because you've just wrapped up a meeting with the pope but before we get to this, your sister and niece are on the set to be released list. And I can only assume the excitement mixed with fear. What goes through your mind in recent hours? Yes, thank you for having me today. To be honest, I'm trying not to think about it because until what I hear now, we still didn't get any confirmation that their names are in the deal. So I'm trying not to think about it and I'm trying not to get false hopes. I'm just waiting to see what is happening. Yes, of course, nerve-wracking hours still ahead. No doubt about it. And part of this devilish deal with the devil is that the families of the hostages until now so very much united if the devil gets what it wants that is will no longer be. But you're all vowing to keep on the fight together those who will remain in captivity for now and those who will hopefully will be released as soon as the following 24 hours. Yes, of course, because even if they let 50 hostages free, we still have 180, 190, I forgot the exact number. So all of these people need to be rescued as well. I mean, it's not right to save only 50 people and to keep all the other ones. We keep fighting for releasing all of our hostages, even if in the first stage we only release 50. Yes, of course. And as mentioned, you were just present at this meeting with the Pope. What can you tell us about the meeting? A lot of empathy we hear, but little call for action or rather ability to act in the Vatican. Yeah, we met with the Pope. We introduced ourselves. We tell him the stories. What happened to us, what happened to our families, the Kibbutzes. We explained the situation to him. We're 12 people in the room with him. I think it went pretty good. He listened, he understood. And yeah, we did whatever we can and we hope the Pope do what he can on his side to help us advance the situation. Yes, well, you were all became to an extent forced diplomats in the past 47 days. Share with us a bit what those long, long, long weeks have been like. Yeah, it's very hard. I'm trying to stay focused to do whatever I can to keep the conversation, to make people not forget about the people who are being held in Gaza. Of course, we can't do anything. We can't do work normally. We can't really proceed with our lives. I'm also from Kibbutz Valley. So I can't really go back home and work normal. So we're staying at a hotel. Yeah, basically doing whatever we can including coming here to run today. There are some people going all over the world trying to speak to leaders. Of course, the actions in Israel, you know, everything, doing whatever we can to stay in action is perhaps the only remedy to an extent. Yeah, you mentioned that to yourself from Kibbutz Valley tragically becoming one of the symbols of this vicious massacre. Tell us a bit about about your sister and your niece about Ryan Hila. Yeah, my sister is 54. Hila is 12, she's going to be 13 next week actually. So we hope that she spent her birthday in Israel. What can I say? I had Hila when she was relatively older. You can see by the ages and she was her only child. So of course, she's very important to her and they are both kidnapped now and she's also my only niece and my grandparents only and my father and mother rest in peace. They're their only grandchild. So we hope that she can come back her and Laia and another girl named Emily that also spent the night in their house. She was sleeping at Hila's house and three of them. Yeah, what can I say? I hope that Hila will be celebrating her 13th birthday with you at home and you will be able to hug both of them as soon as those coming days we're all with you and sending you strength and holding our breath together with you and with the rest of the families. Thank you very much. Thank you. And moving now to the ground we're heading to the north to the Israel Lebanon border I-24 news correspondent Robert Swift standing by there with I-24 news team. Robert, before we discuss what is going to happen on the northern front once the ceasefire if indeed takes effect tomorrow down south this morning, this afternoon Red Alert and also some events in Syria not just Lebanon, what can you tell us? Indeed. So Syrian media is reporting that it has spoken with military sources from that country and they are saying that there was two missiles launched from the direction of the Golan Heights that struck a neighborhood in Damascus. Now, it's understood that this is linked to pro-Iranian militias that were operating there and that it is being attributed to the Israeli Air Force. Now this comes off the back of Hezbollah claiming it's so far today, there has been you can call it a slight uptake in the number of attacks this morning was quite quiet but in the last couple of hours the number of attacks taking place has jumped up a little bit and this comes as people were speculating that there may well be an uptake, an escalation as both sides get ready for the ceasefire to set in. Now Hezbollah have said they told Al Jazeera that they are not involved in negotiating the ceasefire that is due to take place in the Gaza Strip but they will abide by it and so it's understood that as has been seen before prior to many of the other ceasefires in this part of the world that as both sides get ready for that to take effect they often tend to hit targets as much as possible getting the last few blows that they can and it's possible that what we're seeing now is a representation of that. Israel has engaged in aggressive defense in the north not proactively hitting targets there to an extent this ceasefire in the north alongside the ceasefire in the south is quote unquote helping Hezbollah's narrative that is seeking to connect it to arenas. I mean I think from the start of the conflict it's been understood that these two conflicts are connected or two fronts let's say in the one conflict. Now the Israeli military has done its best efforts to keep them separated it has launched aggressive operations on the ground in the south while successfully in the north keeping things on a low simmer. From essentially the second day of the war here there has been skirmishes along the border and they have continued every day more or less. However they haven't escalated beyond a certain point and that's enabled the Israeli military to focus essentially on what's happening in Gaza and that has enabled it to get the position that it's in today. And Robert if we're talking about Hezbollah we're essentially talking about Iran and in disrespect overnight another American attack against pro-Iranian militias. In Iraq earlier this week we've heard some criticism in the Pentagon over the Biden administration's policy when it comes to those pro-Iranian militias that are targeting American forces in the region not Israelis. Is that perhaps a beginning of a trend to see more such American attacks? The US was very much keeping itself quiet. The US has been keeping things quite quiet there. It's understood that there's been multiple attacks taking place against United States forces in Iraq. Now none of them have caused fatalities but there has been casualties caused by them. There's a number of injuries. Now if the US has stepped up a response this may be a sign a demonstration of them essentially having enough that they don't want to continue they don't see the needs for this to continue and it could also be the fact that if the US is less concerned about this conflict spilling over into a wider confrontation maybe it feels that it is able to more aggressively defend itself than it has done in the past and that's possibly why we've seen the airstrikes earlier this morning as well as a helicopter attack yesterday. And Robert just to clarify as again we are nearing a potential ceasefire tomorrow on the southern front it means that the idea forces both in the south on the Gaza border and in the north on the Lebanese border are staying intact. They're not going anywhere. Yeah absolutely this is not a withdrawal of any description it is a ceasefire the Israeli leadership have said straight that this is a temporary measure that Israel remains at war the ground that Israel has taken in the Gaza Strip it will likely retain all of that ground for the time being and up here in the north the Israeli military will maintain their positions in the defensive posture that they've been sat here since the second day of the war. I-24 news correspondent Robert Swift on the Israeli Lebanon border thank you very much for this and we now want to turn for more insight to Major General Gadi Shamini, former commander of the Gaza division. Thank you very much Major General Shamini for joining us well sir I would like to begin with the following question because it seems that many Israelis many around the world are literally holding their breath ahead of tomorrow they're just rocking days ahead at this point Major General Shamini what can foil this deal well I don't know what can foil this deal because I don't know the exact details of the deal but no doubt that an agreement with Hamas is very fragile and it can go everywhere you know once they will have more freedom of action and they will be able to go out from their tunnels they might make different decisions we saw that in the past in 2014 so I hope that the IDF will actually position themselves in a way that they will be protected and prevent any surprises, bad surprises from Hamas so let's do indeed to that point exactly try to unpack the details of the deal how can Hamas regroup during the ceasefire what will it mean in terms of their military capabilities and also Hamas promising to look for the hostages during the ceasefire those they claim are not in their hands well we cannot rely on any Hamas promises that's for sure and we cannot believe Hamas but the fact is that once they will have a pause in fighting over the IDF they can go out from the tunnels they can see, they can understand where the IDF is located they can prepare for the future they can try and attack surprise attacks so it can be very dangerous the fact that the IDF if it's all right we don't know the exact details but what I hear in the media there is an agreement that every day for six hours you will not have any intelligence gathering intelligence gathering from the area dimension which is crucial when you talk about such problematic urban areas urban area with a lot of destruction with high buildings so that's quite a risky step but that's a step that I guess the state of Israel the IDF has to take in order to bring back and I'm sure that the IDF will find the right solutions in the field to protect our soldiers Major General Shamit to that point exactly I hate to say that but this inability to see from the air reminds us what happened on October 7th how can you shut down the aerial operations without being blind how can you be blind but not blind to an extent not having a drone doesn't mean that you become blind but many wars many years before we even had drones so there are solutions it's much better if you have a drone that you can look to those dead areas that you cannot see but the IDF knows how to deploy and how to arrange effective defense I'm sure that they will do it and still it is risky it is dangerous it is to the benefit of Hamas and it's something that we do because we don't have any other choice Yes, not the best possible deal but the best deal and finding definitely worthwhile if it means that the hostages some of them will return home Major General Shamit do stay with us because we want to head to the Israel Gaza border with the I-24 team there Pierre I'm not sure if you could hear our conversation with Major General Gadi Shamny but in less than 24 hours it sees fire it sees off fire how will it look like in terms of the soldiers on the ground what are they going to do and how dangerous is that it's difficult to know because I'm not with those soldiers on the ground but I could assume that as the offensive goes on we just were on a vintage point over the northern sector of the Gaza Strip and we could clearly see the IDF neutralizing Hamas structures in the area of Bethanoon in northwest Jebalia Jebalia being encircled an operation on going inside the Zaitun neighborhood of the Gaza city the IDF is still in movement but I assume that the IDF at the same time is consolidating its positions not just on a defensive mode but also on the offensive mode because for two reasons first of all because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it's straight to the face of Hamas that the war will go on so we know that the next stage once the northern Gaza Strip has been completely taken over that the next stage will be in the south of the Gaza Strip Hanyunes, Rafah we know for instance from Palestinian reports that even tonight there was a ground raid in a refugee camp near Hanyunes Al Mourazi that there are bombings a bombing campaign going on in the southern Gaza Strip all that gives you a hint of what will happen after the post in the fighting whether it take 4, 5 or 10 days now the other reason for an aggressive posture would be because the IDF simply doesn't trust Hamas we've seen that in the past when there were ceasefire agreements broken by Hamas in 2014 for instance in Operation Protective Edge we know the story 2 bodies of soldiers still in the end of Hamas after 9 years so the posture does not need to be only defensive it's going to be offensive that's the philosophy of the IDF since its inception when you want to defend yourself you need to be on the offensive yes, no other way the best defense is offensive sometimes this is definitely such a time thank you very much for this back with the major general Gadi Shamni I do want to circle back to an earlier part of our conversation how will Hamas utilize the ceasefire but it might also General Shamni, be a double end sword to an extent for Hamas operatives, Hamas leaders getting out of the tunnels seeing the scope, the scale of the damage it could be a shock I don't think that that would be a great factor in their decision making I don't think that Hamas leadership cares too much about the people of Gaza they might be shocked they might be surprised but that's not something that will break their spirit and I have to say that Hamas is still strong enough in the Gaza Strip and there's a lot of work to do the Gaza city was not all taken yet so there is a lot of fighting to do and the IDF needs a lot of time and I hope that we will have the legitimacy the international support because the international people the European people people all over the world have to understand that Israel is in the front of this of this struggle right now but it will not stay here Europe is next Europe is next, the next of the world of the free world is next and it's a world interest to topple down an organization like Hamas absolutely and before we let you go Major General Shamni, how difficult will it considering also the likely rising international pressure that would be how difficult will it be to get back to war mode so to speak the next targets well I think that your correspondence said the next targets will be the southern part of Gaza you have to cover the whole area of Gaza you have to clean everything you have to destroy the tunnel infrastructure and the rockets and production locations you have to find the activists and to kill the leadership all over and then you have to go to Gaza because if you don't demilitarize Gaza you will not be able to prevent a future a rebuilding of capabilities with Hamas or other organizations that might be worse than Hamas so this these are the next steps I don't think that it will be too difficult for the IDF to change mode and to move on to the other organizations this pose is problematic but that's something that the military knows how to do it Major General Gadi Shamni former commander of the Gaza division thank you very much sir for your time for your insight we appreciate it this is it from us this hour but we'll be back right at the top of the hour with all the latest updates Israel is nearing we'll be holding its breath and we will be seeing you once again Israel is in a state of war families completely gunned down in their beds we have no idea where she is our soldiers are fighting on the front line but the general perception is something that certainly needs to be fought as well with dozens of correspondence throughout the world brings the truth from Israel to hundreds of millions of people in scores of countries coming down in their beds the state of emergency and war in Israel bringing Israel's story to the world i24 news channels now on hot the special broadcast here in i24 news as we continue our rolling coverage day 47 of the war here in Israel it's a deal with the devil but a deal worthwhile in less than 24 hours the hostage release with Hamas is set to begin with a potential cease of fire by 10 a.m. local time following which the first group of hostages, children their mothers and elderly women kidnapped from their beds on October 7th supposed to be making their way back home from captivity into Gaza Strip to Israel nerve-wracking hours are still ahead as God is in the details because the devil many questions still unanswered who will return and who won't how will families be split up what will happen to those who remain captive and whether Hamas who is engaged in extortion more than negotiations will actually deliver its part of the deal without last-minute tricks and what happens if it won't one thing's for certain there's a difference between a price and a cost coming back home is worth it all I-24 News Middle East correspondent Ariel Osteron with the hostage deal outline 47 days since the start of the war in Gaza and a glimmer of hope for the families of over 230 hostages held captive by Hamas early Tuesday morning Israel's cabinet approved a hostage deal with Hamas that would see the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a four-day ceasefire tonight it is a difficult decision but it is the right decision all the security factors fully support it they clarified in their full professional assessment the security of our forces will be guaranteed during the days of ceasefire and that the intelligence effort will be maintained under the deal confirmed also by the U.S. and Qatar 50 civilian hostages will be released in four batches one day at a time after four days the ceasefire will be extended by one day for the release of 10 additional hostages in exchange Israel will release 150 Palestinian security prisoners women and minors but none convicted of murder Israel commits to limit its drone surveillance activity in northern Gaza and to completely suspend it in the south during the ceasefire Israel will also allow 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza including fuel without the continuation of military pressure there won't be any chance to bring back the use of hostages that we want to bring back I believe that we are at a decisive moment in this matter and we all hope that there will be a temporary truce according to which the hostilities will be halted for a few days relief entry to our people will be intensified and civilians, women and children will be exchanged for women and children from the occupation prisons the Lebanese newspaper Nidal Watan reports that while not a side to the deal Hezbollah will adhere to the ceasefire as well, provided Israel does so too as for the families of the hostages news of the expected deal were received with mixed feelings on one side I'm happy second I'm worried because nobody told me that my family will be there in this deal there was 40 children inside Gaza they go to Jerusalem 30 where are the others I don't know and I hope that everybody will release a deal with the devil some Israelis are calling this but with no real alternative Israel will have to prove that the war effort isn't heard by it the same thing goes to the chances to bring back the rest of the hostages and we want to welcome now Yair Rotem who's sister Baya and Nisila still being held hostage by Hamas for 47 days now and yet a glimmer of hope today Yair Rotem thank you so very much for speaking with us live from Rome because you've just wrapped up a meeting with the Pope but before we get to this your sister and Nis are on the set to be released list and I can only assume the excitement mixed with fear through your mind in recent hours yes thank you for having me today to be honest I'm trying not to think about it because until what I hear now we still didn't get any confirmation that their names are in the deal so I'm trying not to think about it and I'm trying not to get false hopes I'm just waiting to see what is happening of course nerve wracking hours still ahead no doubt about it and part of this devilish deal with the devil is that the families of the hostages until now so very much united if the devil gets what it wants that is will no longer be but you're all vowing to keep on the fight together there will remain in captivity for now and those who will hopefully will be released as soon as the following 24 hours yes of course because even if they let 50 hostages free we still have another 180, 190 I forgot the exact number so all of these people need to be rescued as well I mean it's not right to save only 50 people the other ones we still need to keep fighting for releasing all of our hostages even if in the first stage we only release 50 yes of course and as mentioned you were just present at this meeting with the pope what can you tell us about the meeting a lot of empathy we hear but little call for action or rather ability to act in the Vatican yeah we met with the pope we introduced ourselves we tell him the stories what happened to us what happened to our families the kibbutzes we explained the situation to him we're 12 people in the room with him I think it went pretty good he listened he understood and yeah we did whatever we can and we hope the pope do what he can on his side to help us advance the situation yes well you were all you all became to an extent forced diplomats in the past 47 days share with us a bit what those long long long weeks have been like yeah it's very hard I'm trying to stay focused to do whatever I can to you know to keep the conversation to make people not forget about the people who are being held in Gaza of course we can do anything we can't do work normally we can't really proceed with our lives I'm also from kibbutz valley so I can't really go back home normal so we're staying at a hotel yeah basically we're doing whatever we can including coming here to run today there are some people going all over the world trying to speak to leaders of course the actions in Israel you know everything all the population everybody in Israel is helping to stay in action is perhaps the only remedy to an extent you mentioned that to yourself from kibbutz valley tragically becoming one of the symbols of this vicious massacre tell us a bit about your sister and your niece about Ryan Hila my sister is 54 Hila is 12 she's going to be 13 next week actually so we hope that she spent her birthday in Israel what can I say Hila when she was relatively older you can see by the ages and you know she was her only child so of course she's very important to her and they're both kidnapped now and she's also my only niece and my grandparents only my father and mother rest in peace they're only grandchild so we hope that she can come back her and Aya and another girl named Emily that also spent the night in their house she was sleeping at Hila's house and three of them got kidnapped Yair what can I say I hope that Hila will be celebrating her 13th birthday with you at home and you will be able to hug both of them as soon as those coming days we're all with you and sending you strength and holding our breath together with you and with the rest of the families thank you very much thank you and moving now to the ground we're heading to the north to the Israel Lebanon border I-24 news correspondent Robert Swift standing by there with the I-24 news team Robert before we discuss what is going to happen on the northern front once the ceasefire if indeed takes effect tomorrow down south this morning this afternoon by the alerts and also some events in Syria not just Lebanon what can you tell us indeed so Syrian media is reporting that it has spoken with military sources from that country and they are saying that there was two missiles launched from the direction of the Golan Heights that struck a neighbourhood in Damascus now it's understood that this is linked to pro-Iranian militias that we're operating there and that it is being attributed to the Israeli air force now this comes off the back of Hezbollah claiming it's 6th attack so far today there has been you can call it a slight uptake in the number of attacks this morning was quite quiet but in the last couple of hours the number of attacks taking place has jumped up a little bit and this comes as people were speculating that there may well be an uptake an escalation as both sides get ready for the ceasefire to set in now Hezbollah have said they told Al Jazeera that they were not involved in negotiating the ceasefire that is due to take place in the Gaza Strip but they will abide by it and so it's understood that as has been seen before prior to many of the other ceasefires in this part of the world as both sides get ready for that to take effect they often tend to hit targets as much as possible getting the last few blows that they can and it's possible that what we're seeing now is a representation of that and while Israel is engaged in aggressive defense in the north not proactively hitting targets there to an extent this ceasefire in the north alongside the ceasefire in the south is quote-unquote helping Hezbollah's narrative that is seeking to connect it to arenas I mean I think from the start of the conflict it's been understood that these two conflicts are connected or two fronts let's say in the one conflict now the Israeli military has done its best efforts to keep them separated it has launched aggressive operations on the ground in the south while successfully in the north keeping things on a low simmer from essentially the second day of the war here there has been skirmishes along the northern border and they have continued every day more or less however they haven't escalated beyond a certain point and that's enabled the Israeli military to focus essentially on what's happening in Gaza and that has enabled it to get to the position that it's in today and Robert if we're talking about Hezbollah we're essentially talking about Iran and in this respect overnight another American attack against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq earlier this week we've heard some criticism in the Pentagon over the Biden administration's policy when it comes to those pro-Iranian militias that are targeting American forces in the region not Israelis is that perhaps a beginning of a trend to see more such American attacks more American response rather well the US was very much keeping itself quiet right I mean the US has been keeping things quite quiet there it's understood that there's been multiple attacks taking place against United States forces in Iraq none of them have caused fatalities but there has been casualties caused by them there's a number of injuries now if the US has stepped up its response this may be a sign a demonstration of them essentially having enough they don't want to continue they don't see the need for this to continue and it could also be the fact that if the US is less concerned about this conflict spilling over into a wider confrontation maybe it feels that it is able to more aggressively defend itself than it has done in the past and that's possibly why we've seen the airstrikes earlier this morning as well as a helicopter attack yesterday and Robert just to clarify as again we are nearing a potential ceasefire tomorrow on the southern front it means that the idea of forces both in the south on the Gaza border and in the north on the Lebanese border are staying intact they're not going anywhere yeah absolutely this is you know this is not a withdrawal of any description it is a ceasefire the Israeli leadership have said straight that this is a temporary measure that Israel remains at war the ground that Israel has taken in the Gaza Strip it will likely retain all of that ground for the time being and up here in the north the Israeli military will maintain their positions in the defensive postures that they've been sat here since the second day of the war I-24 News correspondent Robert Swift on the Israel Lebanon border thank you very much for this and we now want to turn for more insight to Major General Gadi Shamini, former commander of the Gaza division thank you very much Major General Shamini for joining us well sir I would like to begin with the following question because it seems that many Israelis, many around the world are literally holding their breath ahead of tomorrow and nerve-wracking days ahead at this point Major General Shamini what can foil this deal? I don't know what can foil this deal because I don't know the exact details of the deal but no doubt that an agreement with Hamas is very fragile and it can go everywhere you know once they will have more freedom of action and they will be able to go out from their tunnels they might make different decisions we saw that in the past in 2014 so I hope that the IDF will actually position themselves in a way that they will be protected and prevent any surprises bad surprises from Hamas so let's do to that point exactly try to unpack the details of the deal how can Hamas regroup during the ceasefire what will it mean in terms of their military capabilities and also Hamas promising to look for the hostages during the ceasefire those they claim are not in their hands well we cannot rely on any Hamas promises that's for sure and we cannot believe Hamas but the fact is that once they will have a pause in fighting over the IDF they can go out from the tunnels they can see, they can understand where the IDF is located they can prepare for the future they can try and attack surprise attacks so it can be very dangerous the fact that the IDF if it's right we don't know the exact details but what I hear in the media there is an agreement that every day for six hours we will not have any intelligence gathering intelligence gathering from the area dimension which is crucial when you talk about such problematic urban areas with a lot of destruction with high buildings so that's quite a risky step but that's a step that I guess the state of Israel the IDF has to take in order to bring back and I'm sure that the IDF will find the right solutions in the field to protect our soldiers Major General Shamit to that point exactly I hate to say that but this inability to see from the air reminds us what happened on October 7th how can you shut down the aerial operations without being blind how can you be blind but not blind to an extent who are not having a drone doesn't mean that you become blind we fought many wars many years before we even had drones so there are solutions it's much better if you have a drone that you can look to those dead areas that you cannot see but the IDF knows how to deploy and how to arrange active defense I'm sure that they will do it and still it is risky it is dangerous it is to the benefit of Hamas and it's something that we do because we don't have any other choice yes not the best possible deal but the best deal in finding definitely worthwhile if it means that the hostages some of them will return home Major General Shamit with us because we want to head for to the Israel Gaza border rather I-24 Correspondent Pierre Kloeschendler with the I-24 news team there Pierre I'm not sure if you could hear our conversation with Major General Gadi Shamny but in less than 24 hours the cease fire I wouldn't say cease fire but cease off fire is due to take effect how will it look like in terms of the soldiers on the ground what are they going to do and how are they going to deal with them it's difficult to know because I'm not with those soldiers on the ground but I could assume that as the offensive goes on we just were on a vintage point over the northern sector of the Gaza Strip and we could clearly see the IDF neutralizing Hamas structures in the area of Bethanoon in northwest Jebalia Jebalia being encircled for their operation on going inside the Zaitun neighborhood of the Gaza city the IDF is still in movement but I assume that the IDF at the same time is consolidating its positions not just on a defensive mode but also on the offensive mode because for two reasons first of all because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it's straight to the face of Hamas that the war will go on so we know that the next stage once the northern Gaza Strip has been completely taken over that the next stage will be in the south of the Gaza Strip we know for instance from Palestinian reports that even tonight there was a ground raid in a refugee camp near Al Mourazi we know that there are bombings a bombing campaign going on in the southern Gaza Strip all that gives you a hint of what will happen after the post in the fighting whether it take 4, 5 or 10 days now the other reason for an aggressive posture would be because the IDF simply doesn't trust Hamas we've seen that in the past when there were ceasefire agreements that were broken by Hamas in 2014 for instance in Operation Protective Edge we know the story two bodies of soldiers still in the end of Hamas after nine years so the posture does not need to be only defensive it's going to be offensive that's the philosophy of the IDF since its inception when you want to defend yourself you need to be on the offensive yes no other way the best defense is offensive sometimes this is definitely such a time I-24 news correspondent Pierre Colchendler on the Israel Gaza border thank you very much for this back with the major general Gadi Shamni thank you very much for staying with us I do want to circle back to an earlier part of our conversation how will Hamas utilize the ceasefire but it might also Major General Shamni be a double end sword to an extent for Hamas operatives Hamas leaders getting out of the tunnel seeing the scope the scale of the damage could it it could be a shock I don't think that that would be a great factor in their decision making I don't think that Hamas leadership cares too much about the people of Gaza they might be shocked they might be surprised you know but that's not something that will break their spirit and I have to say that Hamas is still strong enough in the Gaza Strip and there's a lot of work to do the Gaza city was not all taken yet there is a lot of fighting to do the IDF needs a lot of time and I hope that we will have the legitimacy the international support because the international people the European people all over the world have to understand that Israel is in the front of this struggle right now but it will not stay here Europe is next the next of the world the free world is next it's a world interest to topple down an organization like Hamas absolutely before we let you go Major General Shamni how difficult will it considering also the likely rising international pressure that would be how difficult will it be to get back to war mode will be the next targets well I think that your correspondence said that the next targets will be the southern part of Gaza you have to cover the whole area of Gaza you have to clean everything you have to destroy the tunnel infrastructure and the rockets and production locations you have to find the activists and to kill the leadership all over and then you have to demilitarize Gaza because if you don't demilitarize Gaza you will not be able to prevent a future a future rebuilding of capabilities with Hamas or other organizations that might be worse than Hamas so these are the next steps I don't think that it will be too difficult for the IDF to change mode and to move on to your friends this pose is problematic but that's something that the military knows how to do Major General Gadi Shamni former commander of the Gaza division thank you very much sir for your time for your insight we appreciate it this is it from us this hour but we'll be back right at the top of the hour with all the latest updates as Israel is nearing hostage release the country holding its breath and we will be a senior in a state of war families completely done down in their beds we have no idea where is she as our soldiers are fighting on the front line but the general perception is something that certainly needs to to be fought as well come to the special broadcast here on i24 news as we continue our rolling coverage day 47 of the war here in Israel it's a deal with the devil ours the hostage release agreed on with Hamas is set to begin with a source confirming to i24 news this hour if the ceasefire is set to begin by 10 a.m. local time following which the first group of hostages children their mothers elderly women kidnapped from their beds on October 7th supposed to be making their way back home from captivity in the Gaza Strip to Israel nerve-wracking ours as we go ahead as God is in the details and so is the devil many questions still unanswered who will return and who won't how will families be split up what will happen to those who remain captive and whether Hamas engaging in extortion more than negotiations will actually deliver it's part of the deal without less minute tricks and what happens if it won't one things for certain there's a difference between a price and cost and bringing the hostages back home is worth it all i24 news Middle East correspondent Ariella Osiron with the outline of the hostage deal 47 days since the start of the war in Gaza and a glimmer of hope for the families of over 230 hostages held captive by Hamas early Tuesday morning Israel's cabinet approved a hostage deal with Hamas that would see the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a ceasefire tonight we face a difficult decision but it is the right decision all the security factors fully support it they clarified in their full professional assessment the security of our forces will be guaranteed during the days of ceasefire and that the intelligence effort will be maintained under the deal confirmed also by the U.S. and Qatar 50 civilian hostages will be released in four batches one day at a time after four days of 10 additional hostages in exchange Israel will release 150 Palestinian security prisoners women and minors but none convicted of murder Israel commits to limit its drone surveillance activity in northern Gaza and to completely suspend it in the south during the ceasefire Israel will also allow 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza including fuel without the continuation of military pressure there won't be any chance to bring back the next groups of hostages that we want to bring back I believe that we are at a decisive moment in this matter and we all hope that there will be a temporary truce according to which the hostilities will be halted for a few days relief entry to our people will be intensified and civilians women and children will be exchanged for women and children from the occupation presence Israel will adhere to the ceasefire as well provided Israel does so too as for the families of the hostages news of the expected deal were received with mixed feelings one side I'm happy second I'm worried because nobody told me that my family will be there in this deal there was 40 children in Gaza and they go through where the others I don't know and I hope that everybody will release a deal with the devil some Israelis are calling this but with no real alternative Israel will have to prove that the war effort is interred by it the same thing goes to the chances to bring back the rest of the hostages for more insight and we want to turn now to former Israeli deputy national security advisor professor Chuck Freilich a senior fellow in the Miriam institute professor thank you very much for joining us so let's cut to the chase how can Hamas regroup how can it use the cease of fire not ceasefire cease of fire in terms of military capabilities no aerial activity for six hours on the Israeli side no intelligence gathering essentially well first of all we're making a deal with the devil a deal which I think we had no choice but to do it's our responsibility always to protect our people and if we can possibly bring them back even at considerable and great costs then we have to do it yes there won't be drones for six hours a day but that means that they will for 18 and there are a variety of other means of gathering intelligence we all know that there are satellites there's electronic intelligence there's other things so is this a constraint on Israel's operational capabilities certainly and especially if it is lengthened beyond the initial four days but the price we have to pay yeah risk worth taking and professor Freilich let me just update you and our viewers that as we speak Red Sirens being heard in the southern city of Eilat since the beginning of the war usually the target of missiles from Yemen from the Houthis we will of course keep an eye on that and bring you the updates once they become available but professor Freilich again circling back to how how Hamas is going to utilize this ceasefire in terms of the military capability and and you know what I will ask it that way should Israel really care will it impact the Israeli you know response or preparation on the ground if Hamas is able to regroup somehow well the fact that they were under very heavy ongoing pressure and now they have a chance for a breather and to regroup that is of course a negative development militarily and we had no choice but to agree to this and they will take advantage of this I am sure to move people around to move weapons around most of the underground tunnel system still remains in place maybe they'll be able to take some moves to reinforce them even further but certainly have the ability to move their capabilities around Professor Chuck Freilich please stay with us because we do want to discuss with you how how can Israel use the we do want to jump to Paris now former Israeli ambassador to France Daniel Schech is joining us part of the headquarters of the hostages and missing families form Ambassador Schech thank you very much for joining us well it ain't over till it's over and we're all truly holding our breath awaiting this deal to actually materialize you as well as the rest of us obviously welcoming it to you in your capacity the hostages and the families of the hostages form but there is a but here well yes of course there is a but there is a there is a very big you know a very big problem to the whole thing and that is the numbers obviously we are happy for each and every family member who will finally be home and it so happens that I'm here with the delegation families and two out of three members of this delegation are directly concerned by this deal because their loved ones are women and children who are kidnapped just one has a has a male hostage so you have the mixed feelings on both sides but I think that obviously the joy of 50 something families or at least 50 something liberated hostages some of them are the same family is a justified joy and everybody will be joining in with them including those who were not included in this deal and then you turn the page and you continue the fight. Yes and before we talk about the rest of the fight there is another element of the existing deal and this to ensure after 47 days access of the Red Cross to the hostages and also Hamas by the way promising to look for the hostages that claims are not in their hands during the ceasefire. So Ellie I'm really happy that you're mentioning this because this is a little bit overlooked in this deal and personally I think it is just as important as the liberation of the women and children that is to finally get a reliable full list of the hostages and for the Red Cross to have access to them this is extremely important and is a big step forward and I really really hope that Hamas will abide by its word and will enable the Red Cross access as they have to by international law should be set. And briefly Ambassador I do want you to put your diplomatic cap on for a second because there is this trap here on behalf of St. Noir not just to prolong the ceasefire would talk of more drip drip of hostages of course but also upping the diplomatic pressure on Israel not to go back to full action once there's a cease to the ceasefire. Well yes I think that is pretty confident that he should forget about this. It's not going to happen I think Israel is prepared for the long haul is prepared for a long war and it should not be expected to stop the pressure on Hamas until Hamas is no longer capable to be a nuisance factor on the on the border of Israel. Nobody should expect us to just settle for going back to what existed earlier. When you hear repeated promises by Hamas members to start again same sort of project that they did on October 7th the first chance they get. Yes indeed Ambassador Daniel Lashak live from Paris with members of the hostages families. Thank you very much for this. And we want to head now back to the field to the Israel-Gaza border, I-2040 Senior Defense Correspondent Jonathan Regev standing by the WIDI I-24 News team. Jonathan less than 24 hours the ceasefire is due to take effect. How will it look like in terms of the Israeli side? What are the soldiers in the strip going to do? If the soldiers are going to be maintained as it is on the paper then the soldiers will stay in place. They will not initiate fight but they will not of course stop themselves if something originates on the other side. Something originating on the other side also means Hamas terrorist suddenly appearing from the tunnels. This is as far as tomorrow and as far as we know from reports that is tomorrow but let's see what is happening on the ground now. You can see right behind me that is the Jabalia neighborhood in eastern Gaza close to the Israeli border and you can actually see fires raging smoke is up there. We also saw flares some 20 minutes ago so the ceasefire seems to be on paper seems to be taking effect tomorrow at 10 am but at least for now it is not happening yet you can see behind me we also heard artillery and there is also a red alert siren just about two hours ago so at least for now the fighting is still raging. Hi 24 news this is your defense correspondent Jonathan Regev on the Israel-Gaza border thank you very much for this much more from Jonathan later on in the evening of course and we are back with former Israeli deputy national security advisor Professor Chuck Freilich senior fellow Dionysus and Miriam Institute and with us so what will the ceasefire mean in terms of Israel? Can it be useful perhaps and of course we do need to ask is there a danger to the forces on the ground? I think given our preferences we would not be having a ceasefire but continuing the ongoing pressure on Hamas which was achieving its intended aims if it's just a few days prior then it won't it won't disrupt things substantially and we can get back to where we were when the fighting resumes. I think actually it's similar Hamas is going to use this time to regroup to redeploy and we'll do some of that as well of course give soldiers a time to breathe a little bit after a month and a half of non non-stop fighting it'll bring an opportunity for some additional training for some changes in planning maybe we'll be able to release some more reservists our partial release has already started in the last few days if it's a few days it won't make that big a difference I don't think Yeah and Professor Freilich do stay with us because from south we're jumping to the north now I-24 news correspondent Nikol Tzedekis and the Israel Lebanon border Nikol thank you very much for joining us well more red alerts this past hour and also some action in Syria today Exactly Ellie within the past 30 minutes or so we did see some red alerts in some of these northern border towns and this is really similar to the activity that we have seen all throughout the day Hezbollah claiming responsibility for at least six different attacks on Israeli territory today alone including the use of two different Burkan rockets the short range rockets with a very heavy warhead that can cause a pretty significant amount of damage now this is all according to those Hezbollah reports as far as Israel they have said that there have been different rockets fired towards Israeli territory and they've responded to each of these different incidents on the southern Lebanon border and this is really what we continue to see now as far as what you mentioned as to Syria we are hearing from the Syrian army claiming that Israel had struck some different sites in Damascus near the capital Israel has yet to comment on this but they usually don't comment when it comes to these different Syrian airstrikes so this is really the activity that we're seeing today and all of this comes as different leaders are meeting in Beirut in the capital of Lebanon we not only saw Hezbollah chief Hezan Nasrullah meeting with some top Hamas officials in Beirut talking about not only what this ceasefire could mean but also coordinated efforts and their words about just the resistance on all fronts especially in Gaza now it wasn't only Hezan Nasrullah who was in Beirut today it was also the Iranian foreign minister meeting with some people to continue to talk about exactly the security situations especially in Lebanon and on the southern borders and what we're hearing as far as from Hezbollah is that they claim that they are willing to abide by a ceasefire on the northern front as well with Israel and their words as long as Israel abides by it too so as far as what we've seen today we continue to see this tit for tat retaliation but when it comes to tomorrow when that ceasefire is expected to start in the south it will certainly be interesting to see exactly what happens on the northern border as well and if Hezbollah does does take advantage of this situation with the decrease in fighting in the south or if they also take about four days to pause the fighting and regain their efforts as well for everyone, the good, the bad and the ugly to regroup by 24 news correspondent Nicole Tzedek on the Israel Lebanon border thank you very much for this and we are crossing now to what is for the past 47 days known as the hostage square in Tel Aviv, hopefully very soon will no longer be the case by 24 news of senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alterman standing by there Owen uncharted territory here no doubt and preparations are underway here in Israel for the return of the hostages now heartbreaking instructions no other way to put it for soldiers who are ready to receive those hostages kids and part of these instructions not to ask to answer questions from the children should they ask where is my mommy and daddy yeah you can only imagine the soldiers put in that position but before we even get to what's happening tonight or for that matter tomorrow morning let's take a look at what's happening in the square around us we can maybe take the camera around and just show you the as they start to disperse the group of religious students who are here you can hear the guitar playing plaintive prayers the singing of Israel's national anthem now dispersing with a bit of a more hopeful cartoon it's interesting because so much of the culture around this hostages square and surrounding the family's struggle and their efforts has had more of a secular flavor I think in part because of the demographics of those who were taken hostage many of them from Kibbutzim along the Gaza border which had largely secular populations and for that matter those at the festival near Kibbutz Reim that now infamous music festival also naturally have a more secular background but again more religious parts of Israeli society to contribute and be part of the effort we've seen them coming out today in hostages square as well you can also I believe see behind me the yellow balloons at least yesterday in the square around this time even a little bit later as the sun was setting we saw those balloons released into the air in one dozens if not hundreds of balloons ascending into the Tel Aviv sky as the sun was setting sending another signal about this country and about this society's wait for those hostages to be brought home along of course with all of the other displays in the square with which we've become familiar the empty Shabbat dinner table the two hundred forty empty yellow chairs and so forth after the instructions given to the soldiers Ali it's just so heartbreaking because in the first instance children in many cases small children set to be released in these installments over the next few days will meet before they're able to meet with their family or a psychologist even will have will be escorted by an Israeli soldier will have you mentioned have to contend with very very difficult questions necessarily having all the tools to handle them so again instructions given to those soldiers and report in Israeli media very delicate and very very challenging situation I-24 news senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alterman in what I all of us hope will soon no longer be the hostage square in Tel Aviv thank you very much for this Owen and back with the professor Chuck Freilich thank you professor for staying with us we appreciate your time well before I'll ask you how difficult will it be to turn back on the war mode both in terms of the operations on the ground and diplomatically speaking part of this deal the other the flip side of this deal is of course the release of terrorists the ministry of justice publishing the list of 300 terrorists held in Israel who may be released as part of this deal they are not what we call terrorists with blood on their hands as in not convicted of murders but there are those who carried out vicious attacks nonetheless including those who are said to pursue terror once they're out there's no easy solution here as we've said already a couple of times this is a deal with the devil and the choice is very simple either pay the price or not I must say I was very surprised for the better that we only have to release 150 in this first installment that the ratio was three Hamas terrorists for every Israeli if you remember Prime Minister Netanyahu famously released over a thousand in exchange for Gilad Shalit and I knew that Hamas couldn't ask a thousand for one again because we simply don't have it and we did not think that it would end with three to one so that's some good news in this overall picture and of course you're saying that there are people who do as Hamas as their acts may have been they didn't actually participate directly in murder in terms of starting the restarting the military operation I think the it will be done basically in any event as long as we have American support and President Biden seems truly committed to the goal of destroying Hamas has some disagreements or there's been some talk about the way that Israel carries it out but it agrees with the goal as long as we have American support here then we should be able to go ahead reasonably well we have to take into account of course not just international opinion and especially Western European opinion but today we also have to take into account what our Arab peace partners think starting with Egypt and Jordan and there's a lot of pressure particularly in Jordan and our Abraham Accord partners because we want to preserve the relationship with them and hopefully expand it in the future to the Saudis and others Yes and during our conversation Professor Fahlech we're seeing on our screens live images from the skyline of the Gaza border the Israeli activity there continues and will continue until the ceasefire that is set to begin tomorrow at 10 a.m. will take effect. Professor Fahlech there's no better phrasing perhaps the sad truth is that at least at this point in time it seems as if the psychopath in a bunker somewhere in the Gaza Strip is the one calling the shots well I don't know that I would call on the psychopaths and I don't know that it adds to the discussion to do so he from his point of view conducted an extraordinarily successful operation I think far more successful than he ever anticipated he knew he knew how to take advantage of our political turmoil for the timing he and his Iranian partners figured out ways of destroying or discapacitating if there's such a word some of the basic defenses we have put in place along the fence so he is from a Hamas perspective an extremely effective leader when credit is due credit is due there's no doubt about that now the question is we've sufficiently learned from the mistakes that we made in the beginning and I hope we have and this is in the end pretty much a fight to the death because we've said that we intend to destroy Hamas and the word destroy is a bit hard because we're not going to kill every Hamas fighter that's not possible and we won't root out every single rocket and tunnel but the war has to end and it's not there yet where it is absolutely clear that Hamas is no longer a coherent military force that we're capable of really fighting in any organized manner and the leadership is still fine so we still have a lot of work ahead of us so that it doesn't look as it does at the moment as a Hamas victory and that it's clear to everyone in Gaza and the Arab world when it's over who won this so in this respect Professor Frelik before we we thank you for your time when it comes to achieving this objective what is left to be done once the ceasefire and well I think we have to finish the work in the north northern Gaza there's still a little bit to be done there and we have to go in the south and basically do unfortunately basically do what we've done in the north and here it's going to be even harder because the people from the north were pushed into the south can we push them now into the north or not they don't really have where to go there because a lot of it is rubble but I think a lot of Gaza I mean this has to continue again so that the end picture is absolutely clear to people in Gaza and around the Arab world that the price of the outrageous genocidal act that Hamas did on the first day of the war is something that you can simply Israel will not tolerate they cannot get away with it again yes absolutely professor Chuck former Israeli deputy national security advisor and senior fellow the INSS and Miriam institute thank you professor very much for your time for your insight we appreciate it and we will leave you with images live images from the Gaza skyline less than 24 hours before ceasefire to the ceasefire that is set to begin 10 am local time ceasefire that is aimed it's ensuring the release of the first what we hope many batches of Israeli hostages being released being brought back home after 47 days we'll be back at the top of the hour Israel is in a state of war families completely done down in their beds we have no idea where is she as our soldiers are fighting it's something that certainly needs to to be fought as well news as we continue a rolling coverage day 47 of the war here in Israel it's a deal with the devil but a deal worthwhile in less than 24 hours the hostage release agreed on with Hamas is set to begin with a source confirming to I-24 news this hour it's a ceasefire is set to begin by 10 am local time following which the first group of hostages children their mothers elderly women kidnapped from their beds on October 7 supposed to be making their way back home from captivity in the Gaza Strip to Israel nerve-wracking hours still ahead as God is in the details and so is the devil many questions still unanswered who will return and who won't how will families be split up what will happen to those who remain captive and whether Hamas engaging in extortion more than negotiations will actually deliver it's part of the deal without less than a trick and what happens if it won't one thing's for certain there's a difference between a price and a cost and bringing the hostages back home is worth it all I-24 news Middle East correspondent Ariella Osiron with the outline of the hostage deal 47 days since the start of the war in Gaza and a glimmer of hope for the families of over 230 hostages held captive by Hamas early Tuesday morning Israel's cabinet approved a hostage deal with Hamas that would see the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a four day ceasefire tonight we face a difficult decision but it is the right decision all the security factors fully support it they clarified in their full professional assessment the security of our forces will be guaranteed during the days of ceasefire and that the intelligence effort will be maintained under the deal confirmed also by the U.S. and Qatar 50 civilian hostages will be released in four batches one day at a time after four days the ceasefire will be extended by one day for the release of 10 additional hostages in exchange Israel will release 150 Palestinian security prisoners women and minors but none convicted of murder Israel commits to limit its drone surveillance activity in northern Gaza and to completely suspend it in the south during the ceasefire Israel will also allow 300 aid trucks to enter Gaza including fuel without the continuation of military pressure there won't be any chance to bring back the next groups of hostages that we want to bring back I believe that we are at a decisive moment in this matter and we all hope that there will be a temporary truce according to which the hostilities will be halted for a few days relief entry to our people will be intensified and civilians, women and children will be exchanged for women and children from the occupation prisons the Lebanese newspaper Nidal Watan reports that while not a side to the deal Hezbollah will adhere to the ceasefire as well provided Israel does so too as for the families of the hostages news of the expected deal were received with mixed feelings on one side I'm happy second I'm worried okay because nobody told me that my family will be there in this this deal okay there was 40 children inside Gaza and they go through only 30 where the others I don't know and I hope that everybody will release a deal with the devil some Israelis are calling this but with no real alternative Israel will have to prove that the war effort isn't heard by it the same thing goes to the chances to bring back the rest of the hostages for more insight we want to turn now to former Israeli deputy national security advisor professor Chuck Frillich a senior fellow at the Anasas in the Miriam Institute professor Frillich thank you very much for joining us so let's cut to the chase how can Hamas regroup how can it use the cease of fire not cease fire cease of fire in terms of military capabilities no aerial activity for six hours on the Israeli side as in no intelligence gathering essentially well first of all we're making a deal with the devil a deal which I think we had no choice but to do it's our responsibility always to protect our people and if we can possibly bring them back to a more considerable and great cost then we have to do it yes there won't be drones for six hours a day but that means that they will for 18 and there are a variety of other means of gathering intelligence we all know that there are satellites there's electronic intelligence there's other things so is this a constraint on Israel's operational capabilities certainly and especially if it is lengthened initial four days but the price we have to pay risk worth taking and professor let me just update you and our viewers that as we speak red sirens being heard in the southern city of Eilat since the beginning of the war usually the target of missiles from Yemen from the Houthis we will of course keep an eye on that and bring you the updates once they become available but professor Freilich is circling back to how how Hamas is going to utilize this ceasefire in terms of the military capability and you know what I will ask it that way should Israel really care will it impact the Israeli you know response or preparation on the ground if Hamas is able to regroup somehow well the fact that they were under very heavy ongoing pressure and now they have a chance for breather and to regroup that is of course a negative development militarily we had no choice but to agree to this and they will take advantage of this I am sure to move people around to move weapons around most of the underground tunnel system still remains in place maybe they'll be able to take some moves to reinforce them even further and certainly have the ability to move their capabilities around Professor Freilich please stay with us because we do want to discuss with you how can Israel use the ceasefire but we do want to jump to Paris now former Israeli ambassador to France Mr. Daniel Shek is joining us part of the headquarters of the hostages and missing families Ambassador Shek thank you very much for joining us well it ain't over till it's over and we're all waiting this deal to actually materialize you as well as the rest of us obviously welcoming it to you in your capacity in the hostages and the families of the hostages forum but there is a but here well yes of course there is a but there is a very big you know a very big problem to the whole thing and that is the numbers obviously we are happy for each and every family member who will finally be home and it so happens that I'm here with the delegation of members of families and two out of three members of this delegation are directly concerned by this deal because their loved ones are women and children who are kidnapped just one has a has a male age so you have the mixed feelings on both sides but I think that obviously the joy of 50 something families or at least 50 something liberated hostages some of them are the same family is a justified joy and everybody will be joining in with them including those who are not included in this deal and then you turn the page and you continue the fight yes and before we talk about the rest of the fight there is another element to the existing deal and this to ensure after 47 days access of the Red Cross to the hostages and also Hamas by the way promising to look for the hostages claims are not in their hands during the ceasefire so Ellie I'm really happy that I'm mentioning this because this is a little bit overlooked in this deal and personally I think it is just as important as the liberation of the women and children that is to finally get a reliable full list of the hostages and for the Red Cross to have access to them this is extremely important and is a big step forward and I really really hope that Hamas will abide by its word and will enable the Red Cross access as they have to by international law should be said and briefly Ambassador I do want you to put your diplomatic cap on for a second because there is this trap here on behalf of not just to prolong the ceasefire with talk of more drip drip of hostages of course but also pressure on Israel not to go back to full action once there is a cease to the ceasefire well yes I think that is something that he hopes for but I I'm pretty confident that he should forget about this it's not going to happen I think Israel is prepared for the long haul is prepared for a long war and it should not be expected to stop the pressure on Hamas until Hamas is no longer capable to be a nuisance factor on the border of Israel nobody should expect us to just settle for going back to what existed earlier when you hear repeated promises by Hamas members to start again the same sort of project that they did on October 7th the first chance they get Yes indeed Ambassador Danielechek live from Paris with members of the hostages families thank you very much Ambassador Sheikh for this and we want to head now back to the field to the Israel Gaza border I-2040 Senior Defense Correspondent Jonathan Regev standing by the Woody I-24 news team Jonathan less than 24 hours the ceasefire is due to take place like in terms of the Israeli side what are the soldiers in the strip going to do if the ceasefire is really maintained as it is on the paper then the soldiers will stay in place they will not initiate fight but they will not of course stop themselves if something originates on the other side something originating on the other side also means Hamas terrorist suddenly from the tunnels this is as far as tomorrow and as far as we understand 10 a.m. tomorrow this is what we've heard so far though not from official sources from reports that is tomorrow but let's see what is happening on the ground now you can see right behind me that is the Jabalia neighborhood in eastern Gaza close to the Israeli border and you can actually see fires raging smoke is up there we also saw flares on 20 minutes ago so the ceasefire seems to be on paper seems to be taking effect tomorrow at 10 a.m. but at least for now it is not happening yet you can see behind me we also heard artillery and there's also a red alert siren here just about two hours ago so at least for now the fighting is still raging this evening of course and we are back with former Israeli deputy national security advisor professor Chuck Frelik senior fellow Dionysus and Miriam Institute thank you for staying with us so what will the ceasefire mean in terms of Israel can it be useful perhaps and of course we do need to ask is there a danger to the forces on the ground well I think given our preferences we would not be having a ceasefire continuing the ongoing pressure on Hamas which was having which was achieving its intended aims if it's just a few days ceasefire then it won't it won't disrupt things substantially and we can get back to where we were when the fighting resumes I think well actually it's similar Hamas is going to use this time to regroup to redeploy and we'll do some of that as well of course and give soldiers a time to breathe a little bit after a month and a half of non non stop fighting it'll bring an opportunity for some additional training for some changes in planning maybe we'll be able to release some more reservists our partial release has already started in the last few days if it's a few days it won't make that big a difference I hope they yeah and professor Frelik do stay with us because from south we're jumping to the north now I-24 news correspondent Nikol Tzedekis and the Israel Lebanon border Nikol thank you very much for joining us well more Red Alerts this past hour and also some action in Syria today exactly Ellie within the past 30 minutes or so we did see some Red Alerts in some of these northern border towns and this is really similar to the activity that we have seen all throughout the day there's been a lot of responsibility for at least six different attacks on Israeli territory today alone including the use of two different Burkan rockets basically these short range rockets with a very heavy warhead that can cause a pretty significant amount of damage now this is all according to those Hezbollah reports as far as Israel they have said that there have been different rockets fired towards Israeli territory and they've responded to each of these and this is really what we continue to see now as far as what you mentioned as to Syria we are hearing from the Syrian army claiming that Israel had struck some different sites in Damascus near the capital Israel has yet to comment on this but they usually don't comment when it comes to these different Syrian airstrikes so this is really the activity that we're seeing today and all of this comes as different leaders are meeting in Beirut in the capital of Lebanon we not only saw Hezbollah chief Hezbollah meeting with some top Hamas officials in Beirut talking about not only what this ceasefire could mean but also continuing to talk about their coordinated efforts and their words about just the resistance on all fronts especially in Gaza now it wasn't only Hassan Nasrullah who was in Beirut today it was also the Iranian foreign minister meeting with some people to continue to talk about exactly the security situations especially in Lebanon on these southern borders and what we're hearing as far as from Hezbollah is that they claim that they are willing to abide by a ceasefire on the northern front as well with Israel and their words as long as Israel abides by it too so as far as what we've seen today we continue to see this tit for tat retaliation but when it comes to tomorrow when that ceasefire is expected to start in the south it will certainly be interesting to see exactly what happens on the northern border as well and if Hezbollah does take advantage of this situation the decrease in fighting in the south or if they also take about four days to pause the fighting and regain their efforts as well Yes, time for everyone the good, the bad and the ugly to regroup by 24 news correspondent Nikol Tzedek on the Israel Lebanon border thank you very much for this and we are crossing now to what is for the past 47 days known as the hostage square in Tel Aviv hopefully very soon it will no longer be the case I-24 news as senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alterman standing by there Owen uncharted territory here no doubt and preparations are underway here in Israel for the return of the hostages now heartbreaking instructions no other way to put it for soldiers who are readying to receive those hostages kids not to ask to answer questions from the children should they ask where is my mommy and daddy Yeah, you can only imagine Ali the soldiers put in that position but before we even get to what's happening tonight or for that matter tomorrow morning let's take a look at what's happening in the square around us we can maybe take the camera around and just show you the as they start to dissipate as they start to disperse the group of religious students who are here you can hear the guitar playing the distinctive prayers the singing of the Israel's natural anthem Matikva just a few moments ago now dispersing with a bit of a more hopeful guitar tune Ali it's interesting because so much of the culture around this hostages square and surrounding the family's struggle and their efforts has had a more of a secular flavor I think in part because of the demographics of those who were taken hostage many of them from Kibbutzim along the Gaza border which had largely secular populations and for that matter those at the festival also naturally have a more secular background but again parts of the more religious parts of Israeli society have also wanted to contribute and be part of the effort we've seen them coming out today in hostages square as well you can also I believe see behind me the yellow balloons at least yesterday in the square around this time even a little bit later as the sun was setting we saw those balloons released into the air and one dozens if not hundreds of balloons ascending into the Tel Aviv sky as the sun was setting sending another signal about this country and about this society's weight for those hostages to be brought home along of course with all of the other displays in the square with which we've become familiar the empty Shabbat dinner table the two hundred forty empty yellow chairs and so forth as for the instructions given to the soldiers Ali it's just so heartbreaking because in the first instance children in many cases small children set to be released in these installments over the next few days will meet before they're able to meet with their family will be escorted by an Israeli soldier will have you mentioned have to contend with very very difficult questions without necessarily having all the tools to handle them so again instructions given to those soldiers and reported in Israeli media put out a handle at very delicate and very very challenging situation I-24 news senior diplomatic correspondent Owen Alterman in what I all of us hope will soon no longer be the hostage square in Tel Aviv thank you very much for this Owen and back with that professor Chuck Freilich thank you professor for staying with us we appreciate your time well before I'll ask you how difficult will it be to turn back on the war mode both in terms of the operations on the ground and diplomatically speaking part of this deal the other the flip side of this deal is of course the release of terrorists the Ministry of Justice publishing the list of 300 terrorists held in Israel who may be released as part of this deal they are not what we call terrorists with blood on their hands as they're not convicted of murders but there are those who carried out vicious attacks nonetheless including those who are said to pursue terror once they're out there's no easy solution here as we've said already a couple of times this is a deal with the devil and the choice is very simple you either pay the price or not I must say I was very surprised for the better that we only have to release 150 in this first installment that the ratio was three Hamas terrorists for every Israeli if you remember Prime Minister Netanyahu famously released over a thousand in exchange and I knew that Hamas couldn't ask a thousand for one again because we simply don't have it but I did not think that it would end with three to one so that's some good news in this overall picture and of course you're saying that there are people who do heinous as their acts may have been they didn't actually participate directly in murder in terms of starting the restarting the military operation I think the it will be done basically in any event and I think it must be done in any event as long as we have American support and President Biden seems truly committed to the goal of destroying Hamas has some agreements or there's been some talk about the way that Israel carries it out but it agrees with the goal as long as we have American support here then we should go ahead reasonably well we have to take into account of course not just international opinion and especially western European opinion but today we also have to take into account what our peace partners think starting with Egypt and Jordan and there's a lot of pressure particularly in Jordan and our Abraham partners because we want to preserve the relationship with them and hopefully expand it in the future to the Saudis and others during our conversation Professor Freilich we're seeing o