Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys

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People react as they hear the news of the release of 13 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Friday's halt in fighting brought Gaza's uprooted population a moment to catch their breath after weeks of fleeing for shelter, searching for food and fearing for family. The ministry says some 6,000 people have been reported missing, feared buried under rubble. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death tolls. CSX said it would provide Thanksgiving dinner for residents, along with other food, lodging and other necessities..Israel says the cease-fire could be extended if more hostages are released, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said it had received a new list of hostages to be released by Hamas on Saturday. After nightfall Friday, a line of ambulances emerged from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt carrying the freed hostages, as seen live on Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera TV. The freed Israelis included nine women and four children 9 and under. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people are crowded into the southern portion of the territory, with more than 1 million living in U.N. schools-turned-shelters. The calm brought a chance for displaced residents of the south to visit homes and retrieve some belongings.

The hostages included multiple generations. Nine-year-old Ohad Munder-Zichri was freed along with his mother, Keren Munder, and grandmother Ruti Munder. The fourth-grader was abducted during a holiday visit to his grandparents at the kibbutz where about 80 people -- nearly a quarter of all residents of the small community -- are believed to have been taken hostage. During the truce, Israel agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,340 gallons) of fuel per day -- still only a small portion of Gaza's estimated daily needs of more than 1 million liters. Former Palestinian prisoners who were released by the Israeli authorities, fly Palestinian and Hamas flags while they are carried on people's shoulders upon their arrival in the West Bank town of Beitunia, on Nov. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Meanwhile, specialised equipment has been deployed to the derailment area to conduct air monitoring. Molten sulphur is known to release sulphur dioxide when it burns, CSX said.Under the deal, Hamas is to release at least 50 hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners over the four days. Both sides were starting with women and children. Israel said the four-day truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed. The war erupted when several thousand Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages, including babies, women and older adults, as well as soldiers. Two of the cars spilled molten sulphur and sparked a fire that continued to burn as of 7.30am on Thursday, CSX said in an update. Still, hundreds of Palestinians tried walking north Friday. Two were shot and killed by Israeli troops and another 11 were wounded.