Israel-Hamas war updates for Nov. 21, 2023

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hailed the deal to release hostages as “significant progress.”

“Today’s outcome is the result of tireless diplomacy and relentless effort across the United States government,” Blinken said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

He said the fight to release the rest of the hostages held by Hamas militants will continue.

“While this deal marks significant progress, we will not rest as long as Hamas continues to hold hostages in Gaza.”

— Joanna Tan

President Joe Biden has thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their “critical leadership and partnership” in helping to strike the temporary cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The humanitarian pause will allow 50 civilian women and children to be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons, according to Qatar, which was part of the negotiation effort.

“I appreciate the commitment that [Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have made in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure the provision of additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza,” Biden said in a statement.

The President said that his highest priority is to ensure the safety of Americans held hostage around the world. 

“It is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented,” he added.

— Joanna Tan

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip that will last for at least four days, Qatar announced Wednesday.

In a post on X, previously Twitter, Qatar said: “The agreement includes the release of 50 civilian women and children hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons.”

The number of those released will increase in the later stages of the agreement, according to the ministry of foreign affairs in Qatar.

The time of the temporary cease-fire will be announced within 24 hours, and will “last for four days, subject to extension.”

Read the full story here.

— Joanna Tan

The Israeli government voted Tuesday night to accept a deal that would release some hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

The vote came just after 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning in Israel following more than six hours of discussion between Israeli cabinet members.

In a statement, the Israeli government said it approved “the first stage” of hostage release, which will free 50 of the roughly 240 hostages that Hamas currently holds. It said that the first tranche of hostages would be women and children, who will be released over the course of four days. During that four-day time period, Israel agreed to halt its bombardments to ensure their safe passage.

The statement also said that the war will continue.

“The Government of Israel, the IDF and the security services will continue the war in order to return home all of the hostages, complete the elimination of Hamas and ensure that there will be no new threat to the State of Israel from Gaza,” the Israeli government said.

The Israeli government noted that as part of the deal, it will agree to extend the temporary cease-fire one additional day for every additional ten hostages that Hamas releases.

A statement from Hamas said that in exchange for the 50 freed hostages, Israel will release 150 Palestinian women and children prisoners. A senior Israeli official told NBC earlier on Tuesday that the Palestinian prisoners did not directly kill Israelis themselves but rather played supporting roles in the crimes. Israel did not address this part of the deal in its statement.

Per Israeli policy, families of the victims of the Palestinian prisoners would have 24 hours to appeal their release to the Israeli Supreme Court. That means that no deal signed tonight will be able to take effect and is therefore not final until at least that 24-hour window is over.

— Rebecca Picciotto

The Israeli cabinet is reportedly voting on a tentative deal that would see 50 women and children being held hostage by Hamas released over four days, according to NBC News.

A senior Israeli official who outlined the tentative agreement in detail also said there’s an option to extend a potential cease-fire for extra days in return for 10 hostages per day being returned.

As part of the deal, Israel would release 150 Palestinian women and child prisoners who didn’t directly kill any Israelis but instead played support roles in terror attacks. Families of any prisoner’s victims have the right to petition in court over the agreement under Israeli law.

That law provides a 24-hour window for appeal, so any deal that is agreed upon by Israel’s cabinet tonight cannot go into effect until tomorrow night.

The official emphasized that Israel is only negotiating for Israel citizens, including those with dual nationalities — or those who hold Israel citizenship along with another country. Israel said other countries will have to negotiate for their own terms with Hamas.

Read the full story here.

— Michele Luhn

A deal between Israel and Hamas to free a number of hostages is nearing but not yet finalized, U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Tuesday.

“We’re close to a deal. We don’t have one yet. I can’t talk about what might be in a potential deal, let alone what might come in its aftermath,” Miller said at a press briefing.

He added that while he was answering journalists’ questions at the press conference, Israeli cabinet members were in the process of discussing the matter.

At a separate briefing, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari echoed that sentiment. He said he had not received more information on final terms of a deal. He advised that the public pay attention to reports from official agencies “until things are finalized.”

“I’m saying this because it could be a long way. Hopefully it won’t be, but it could be,” Hagari said.

Sources have told NBC that a tentative deal is imminent and could be announced today.

As it stands, a senior U.S. official told NBC, around 50 women and children hostages would be exchanged for around 150 Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners in a first phase, and there would also be a multiday pause in fighting. The arrangement would also allow for more humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza. The numbers could change and the deal, which could still fall apart, would require approval from Israel’s government.

At the presser, Miller said that while the hostage release would help unlock more opportunities to send more aid convoys into Gaza, the U.S. believes that boosting humanitarian assistance is “important in its own right” outside of the hostage deal.

— Rebecca Picciotto

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an “international peace conference” aimed at resolving the Israel-Hamas war, state-run Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday.

Addressing a virtual summit of BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the Chinese leader also laid out a three-pronged strategy for dealing with the conflict, including urging the release of hostages and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

“First, the parties to the conflict must end hostilities and achieve a ceasefire immediately,” he said, according to a translated copy of the statement.

“Second, humanitarian corridors must be kept secure and unimpeded, and more humanitarian assistance should be provided to the population in Gaza,” he continued.

“Third, the international community must act with practical measures to prevent the conflict from spilling over and endangering stability in the Middle East as a whole.”

The comments come as sources told NBC News that a tentative deal had been reached on the release of some hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, with further details expected later Tuesday.

— Karen Gilchrist

A tentative deal has been struck on the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and could be announced in the coming hours, sources told NBC News Tuesday.

A senior U.S. official told NBC that the deal would include around 50 women and children hostages being exchanged for around 150 Israeli-held Palestinian prisoners in a first phase, but that the numbers are subject to change.

A separate source familiar with the talks said that Israel would choose which Palestinian prisoners it would release — pending a security check — and also said the deal would include a suspension of overhead drone flights for up to six hours per day so that Hamas could consolidate the remaining hostages.

They added that there would likely be a four or five day pause in fighting to allow for the hostage exchange.

Any deal would require approval from Israel’s government.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier Tuesday that he hoped there would be “good news soon” on the release of some of the nearly 240 people seized during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks.

The prime minister’s office said in separate a statement that the war cabinet will convene at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET), the political-security cabinet at 7 p.m. local time and the government at 8 p.m. local time.

— Karen Gilchrist

A group of 27 House Democrats sent a letter to X owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino accusing the social media platform of profiting from violent pro-Hamas propaganda videos.

The already “inexcusable” issue of antisemitic content on X has become “outright indefensible” since the deadly Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel by Hamas militants, the Democrats wrote in a letter obtained by CNBC.

“Given the many flagrant examples of X profiting off this content, we need detailed answers from X in considering potential legislation that would prevent such activity in the future,” wrote the lawmakers, led by Reps. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., and Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

The letter comes as Musk, the world’s richest man, and X, the platform he bought for $44 billion last year, fend off new accusations of antisemitism that are threatening to hit the company’s ad-based revenue model hard.

— Kevin Breuninger

A spokesperson of the Egyptian foreign ministry has alleged that Israel is continuing attacks against the southern part of the Gaza Strip in an effort to force Palestinian people to depart the enclave.

“Continued bombing targeting displaced people in the South has a clear objective, and that’s to force Gaza’s residents to leave the Strip,” the spokesperson said on social media. “Egypt has clearly declared its utter rejection of any enforced displacement attempt of Palestinians.”

Israel has repeatedly said its ground presence in the Gaza Strip and ongoing airstrikes upon the enclave only aim to dismantle Hamas, but has raided and attacked civilian sites it says are used in a military capacity by the Palestinian militant group.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have previously stated they do not support the forced displacement of Palestinian people as a long-term solution to the conflict in the Middle East.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Negotiations on a possible release of hostages held by Hamas are “making progress,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reservists on Tuesday, in a rare comment from the leader on the talks.

“We are making progress. I don’t think it’s worth saying too much, not even at this moment, but I hope there will be good news soon,” he said, according to a Google-translated statement from his office.

“In light of the developments regarding the release of our abductees – the Prime Minister will convene the War Cabinet at 18:00, the Political-Security Cabinet at 19:00 and the Government at 20:00,” the prime minister’s office said separately, according to NBC News. 6 p.m. in Israel is 11 a.m. ET.

Earlier, Hamas politburo leader Ismail Haniyeh said the Palestinian militant group and Israel are “close to reaching a truce agreement,” according to a Google-translated Telegram update.

Another Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, said that negotiations had centered on an exchange of women and children held by both Israel and the Palestinian militant group.

Citing an anonymous source, Reuters on Tuesday said that such an agreement, which has been heavily mediated by Qatar, would involve a multi-day pause in hostilities, the release of around 50 civilian hostages by Hamas and of Palestinian women and children from Israeli detainment. CNBC could not independently verify this report.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Over 5,000 children have been reported killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said on social media.

“Each one is a life extinguished and a family devastated,” she said, calling for all children to be protected.

Russell did not specify the source of the reported figure. CNBC could not independently verify the death toll.

— Ruxandra Iordache

The World Health Organization is planning to evacuate three hospitals in the besieged Gaza enclave after the facilities requested it, a spokesperson said.

In comments reported by Reuters, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier named the hospitals as Al-Shifa, the Indonesian hospital and the Al-Ahli facility.

He said that the evacuations would be a last resort.

On Sunday, the WHO, in a joint effort with the U.N. and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, evacuated 31 premature babies from the Al-Shifa hospital, where depowered life-support machines could no longer provide them with critical care.

More than half of the hospitals across the Gaza Strip no longer function, the U.N. humanitarian agency estimated earlier this month, amid ongoing bombardment and shortages of fuel, electricity and medical supplies.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel constructed bunkers beneath the Al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip decades prior, when his country occupied the enclave.

Asked by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour whether Israel had provided sufficient proof that a Hamas command center existed within or beneath the medical complex, Barak said, “It’s already known for many years that they have, in the bunkers, that originally was built by Israeli constructors underneath Shifa, [that the bunkers] were used as a command post of the Hamas and a kind of junction of several tunnels, part of this system.”

He added, “I don’t know to say to what extent it is a major [Hamas commander center]. It’s probably not the only kind of command post, there are others under other hospitals or in other sensitive places. But it’s for sure [it] has been used by… by Hamas, even during this conflict. “

Asked whether he had misspoken by attributing the construction to Israeli engineers, Barak said, “No, no, some, you know, decades ago, we were running the place so we helped them. It was decades. Many decades ago, maybe five, four decades ago, that we helped them to build these bunkers in order to enable more space for the operation of the hospital within the very limited size of this compound.”

Israeli military has cited a potential Hamas command post sitting beneath or within Al-Shifa as its reason for raiding the medical facility and has met international pressure to prove its assumption. The Israel Defense Forces have released footage showing alleged tunnels on the premises of Al-Shifa, citing them as discoveries that proved the presence of Hamas at the hospital. CNBC was unable to independently verify the videos.

The IDF have been approached for comment.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Lebanese state media outlet Al Mayadeen said that two of its journalists — correspondent Farah Omar and cameraman Rabih Al-Me’mari — were killed in a strike in southern Lebanon, which the agency attributed to Israel.

CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground.

The Israel Defense Forces earlier in the day said that they were retaliating after mortar shells were fired from Lebanon at one of their posts. It is unclear if the two incidents are related.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since the early days of Israel-Hamas conflict, with the Lebanese militant group citing solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian people.

— Ruxandra Iordache

The Israel Defence Forces struck roughly 250 Hamas targets over the last day, including operatives, rocket launchers and infrastructure of the Palestinian militant group, Israeli military said in a Telegram update.

The IDF said it also struck a rocket launch post and located a weapons stockpile.

In a separate update, the military said it hit three armed cells by the border with Lebanon, as well as an additional unspecified number of Hezbollah targets in the Middle Eastern country. The IDF further said that Lebanese operatives fired mortar shells at a military post in northern Israel, and that the IDF is retaliating toward the source of the attack.

News flashes from the Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV outlet reported Israeli aerial attacks on several Lebanese municipalities.

CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground.

A combined 1,353 of trucks — or 42 trucks per day — carrying humanitarian deliveries have reached the Gaza Strip since Oct. 21, when aid flows resumed into the enclave, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said on social media.

This is less than 10% of the daily truck arrivals logged prior to the Israel-Hamas conflict, when the U.N. estimated the Gaza Strip would receive an average 500 trucks of supplies each day.

Deprived of Israel’s own resources within days of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, civilians in the Gaza Strip struggle with shortages of fuel, electricity, clean water, food and medical supplies.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Israel’s military has completely encircled the area of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, and “vandals were eliminated and infrastructure destroyed,” an Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson for Arab media said.

The IDF attacked “terrorist targets” with the help of aircraft and drones, as well as “three underground holes” where enemies were present, Avichay Adraee said in a Google-translated post on X, formerly known as Twitter. IDF tanks and ground forces were also deployed.

“During the activity, the fighters eliminated saboteurs with air support, and seized enemy weapons in several places, including residential homes and children’s rooms, and destroyed tunnel openings,” according to the update.

CNBC could not independently verify developments on the ground. According to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, Jabalia holds the largest of the Gaza Strip’s eight refugee camps.

— Ruxandra Iordache

An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson supplied further commentary on the military’s findings at the raided Al-Shifa hospital.

In a video update, the IDF’s Jonathan Conricus played footage appearing to show a tunnel shaft on the premises of what he said was the Al-Shifa medical complex, as well as replaying clips alleging to show Hamas taking hostages into the facility. CNBC could not independently verify the video.

“Shifa is an important part, even a vital part of Hamas military infrastructure, both above ground and below ground. They have controlled that area for many years,” Conricus said, stressing it is unlikely Hamas only took hostages to the hospital for treatment, as one featured captive was being frogmarched and there were several other medical facilities that could assist closer to the Israeli border.

He said that there were several “no-go” areas in the hospital and that medical staff were aware of a Hamas presence on the premises.

Medical staff and Hamas have previously denied that the Palestinian militant group carries out operations at Al-Shifa. Israel has faced considerable international pressure to produce evidence of Hamas presence at the hospital and justify its ground incursion against a civilian site.

— Ruxandra Iordache

Hamas and Israel are “close to reaching a truce agreement” despite ongoing hostilities, the Palestinian militant group’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Telegram, according to a Google translation.

While Haniyeh supplied no further details, a Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, said that ongoing talks focused on an equal exchange of women and children. He added that Qatari mediators will announce any final agreement.

Hamas took nearly 240 captives during the terror attacks of Oct. 7.

Talks between Israel and the Palestinian militant group have been stymied by largely conflicting starting positions: Israel has previously mandated a cease-fire can only happen once the captives held by Hamas are released, while Hamas has required a truce to return back its hostages.

— Ruxandra Iordache

In central Gaza, mourners recited funeral prayers as they stood over dozens of bodies recovered after a barrage of Israeli airstrikes that hit two refugee camps Monday.

The bodies, wrapped in white sheets and makeshift plastic body bags, were laid on the ground in the city of Deir Al Balah. Medics said dozens more remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped or buried under the rubble of multiple collapsed buildings.

At the scene of the bombing, residents sat in small groups in the rubble next to mangled steel reinforcement bars. The recovered bodies were placed in a truck to be buried nearby.

About 200 people have been evacuated from a northern Gaza hospital that was caught up in fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Monday.

Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesperson for Hamas’ Health Ministry, said the evacuees from Indonesian Hospital were taken to southern Gaza in a rescue effort coordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross. Many of the injured evacuees are being treated at al-Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, he said.

Between 400 and 500 more wounded people remain at Indonesian Hospital, al-Qudra said in an interview with Al-Jazeera.

The evacuations came after 12 people were killed when a shell struck the second floor of the hospital, according to the Health Ministry and a medical worker at the hospital. Both blamed Israel, which denied shelling the hospital, saying its troops returned fire on militants who targeted them from inside the 3.5-acre compound.

— Associated Press

— Mahmud Hams | AFP | Getty Images

President Joe Biden, at today’s White House turkey pardoning ceremony, was asked by a reporter if a deal is near to release hostages taken by Hamas.

“I believe so,” he said.

When asked again if he believes so, Biden responded by crossing his fingers and said, “Yes.”

— NBC News