Hostage Square, Tel Aviv — The temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip continued Tuesday after being extended for two additional days to allow for the release of more hostages by the militant group and more Palestinian prisoners to be freed by Israel. Israeli officials said they had approved a new list of Palestinian prisoners to be freed if Hamas makes good on its promise to release more hostages, and Israel had a list of names from Hamas of the hostages it planned to free later Tuesday.
Around 170 people remain captive in Gaza, according to Israel, but not all are held by Hamas. U.S. officials have said they're continuing to work for further extensions in the truce, and that they'll keep pushing the negotiations until everybody is released.
A Hamas official told CBS News on Tuesday that the group — long designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Israel and many other nations — was looking to negotiate another extension of the pause in fighting during which it would release not just women and children, as it has done daily since Friday, but also male hostages and abducted Israeli soldiers.
Hamas has released a total of 69 hostages over four consecutive nights, the most recent group being 11 people handed over Monday night. Eight of them were children, the youngest a pair of twins only three years old.
Israel has held up its end of the bargain by releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners, many of them teenagers and some jailed for minor offenses like throwing stones.
In Israel, after weeks of dread, dozens of families have been able to breathe a sigh of relief. There have been moments of joy as families have been reunited, including for Maayan Zin, who finally has her daughters Ella and Dafna back in her arms.
For other hostage families, however, it has been a bittersweet few days.
Hadas Calderon learned Monday night that her daughter Sahar and son Erez were being released, but their father Ofer is believed to remain in captivity.
There will also be more pain ahead for Abigail Mor Edan, a four-year-old dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who was freed, but whose parents were both among the roughly 1,200 people killed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 terror rampage across southern Israel.
"I'm so happy that she's here," Abigail's aunt Ella Mor told CBS News. "She's like Israel's little baby. Everybody feels her, is her own baby."
It still wasn't clear on Tuesday if the little girl knew her parents were dead.
After Abigail was freed, the family received a phone call from President Biden, which Mor described as an incredible experience. She felt like the U.S. leader had become a new member of the family, almost like a grandfather.
Mor expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and sympathy they received from the U.S. and around the world. Many people even offered to adopt Abigail, but Mor made it clear that Abigail already has a family who is showering her with love and protection.
Mor acknowledged that her heart felt a little better now, but she emphasized that there are still many people, including children and women, who are suffering in Gaza. She urged for more efforts to bring them back and heal their hearts.
Meanwhile, Iris Weinstein Hagai is still waiting for news about her mother Judy, who is believed to be one of the American hostages still in Gaza. She expressed her frustration that the released hostages did not have any information about her mother and pleaded for proof of life.
Hostage's Daughter Seeks the Safe Return of All Captives
Hagai, the daughter of Gadi, a U.S. national who is believed to be held hostage, has come forward with distressing information. According to Hagai, she has seen video evidence indicating that her father was killed by the militants and that they have taken his body.
In a heartfelt plea, Hagai expressed her hope that all the hostages, including the soldiers and the unrecognized individuals, will be rescued. She emphasized the importance of bringing back not only the captives but also the bodies of those who have lost their lives.
