Tonight, more hostages released after Hamas delayed their return and the deal almost fell apart. Thirteen Israeli hostages released today, a Red Cross caravan bringing them across the border. But today's exchange delayed and almost called off new details on how President Biden helped get the transfer back on track. New video of the powerful reunions. Children held hostage now back with their families. And new questions. Why haven't any Americans been set free? The police officer convicted of killing George Floyd, stabbed in prison. Staff performing life-saving measures. What we know about his condition? A major snowstorm hits the middle of the country, creating highway pileups at the nation's airports, brace for what's set to be the biggest travel day ever tomorrow. Perhaps the biggest test in air travel history. New health concerns for Pope Francis. What a cat scan found after he canceled an appearance today. Shocking videos of mobs of thieves robbing delivery drivers. What it means for your holiday packages. The new numbers just in. How much did Americans spend on Black Friday? And does it mean the discounts will get even bigger? This is BBC Nightly News with Jose Diaz-Ballard.
Good evening, 13 more Israelis and four citizens of Thailand are now free. But for hours today, their release seemed uncertain. Hamas delayed the exchange, claiming that Israel has not held up its part of the agreement. That set off a flurry of diplomatic calls that involve multiple countries, including President Biden. The deal was ultimately put back on track. These are the Israeli women and children as young as three, released late today. The hope, more scenes like these. This is video of nine-year-old Ohad Munder-Zachry, reuniting with his father, running to him, embracing him. We're seeing new images of hostages now free and back with their families. But there are questions tonight about why no Americans have been released yet, including four-year-old Abigail Idaan. President Biden spoke about that late tonight. We are covering all of this, and we begin with Ralph Sanchez in Tel Aviv.
Tonight, after a nerve-wrecking delay that threatened to collapse the ceasefire, more hostages emerging from Gaza. Thirteen Israelis, eight children and teenagers, and five women freed from Hamas captivity. In return, Israel releasing 39 more Palestinians from its prisons, six women and 33 teenagers. Another four hostages, workers from Thailand, also released. Among those freed nine-year-old Emily Hand, her family at first told she was killed, only to later learn she was alive and a hostage. Also, three-year-old Yehale, we met her grandfather, Gilad, this week. If you could speak to your family now, what would you tell them?
I promise that I do anything. I'm trying to make sure.
That I have the.
Right to release them.
But just hours earlier, Hamas slamming the brakes and delaying the release, accusing Israel of blocking all aid trucks from reaching devastated areas of Northern Gaza.
And of.
Not sticking to a commitment to release the longest-serving Palestinian prisoners first. Israel's military insisting they did not reach the deal. The Hamas announcement came just as families were gathering in Tel Aviv to mark 50 days since their loved ones were taken. People here were hoping that by now there would be more hostages coming out of Gaza. Instead, there is fear and confusion spreading through this crowd. But finally, negotiators from Qatar announcing they'd salvage the agreement with help from Egypt and the US. Raising hopes there will be more scenes like this from last night, hostages reunited with their families. This was the moment nine year old Ohad ran into his father's arms, a hug 49 days in the make it. And then FaceTime and ice cream with friends. A comforting end to a day that began in the captivity of masked to mass gunman and a long journey home. First, Red Cross Jeeps out of Gaza, ambulances through Egypt, and then, Israeli military helicopters. Ohad solving Rubik's cubes on board as his mother also released looks on. Here, two year old Aviv and four year old Raz are back in the arms of their father, Yonnie.
I dreamt we were coming home, Raz says. The last time their father saw them was this chilling video as they were kidnapped along with their mother, now holding them like he'll never let them go.
Ralph Sanchez joins us now. Ralph, we are almost halfway through the ceasefire now. Is it possible it could be extended?
Well, Jose, the Egyptian government is saying it's received positive signals from both Israel and Hamas about extending the deal one or two more days of cease-fire in exchange for 10 hostages a day. But Israel's military is not confirming that. Jose.
Ralph Sanchez in Tel Aviv, thank you. Today's on again, off again, back and forth plan to release the hostages left loved ones holding their breath. Israelis, all too aware that every part of this fragile deal is simply hanging by a thread. Aaron McLauchlin reports.
The day began filled with hope, former hostages reuniting with their loved ones. Scene of solace for Gil Dickman, who has family being held hostage in Gaza.
But the fact that a deal could be made between Israel and Hamas is amazing. It was.
Unbelievable a few.
Weeks ago, and it shows the Israeli public that good news is an option here.
Have you been contacted by.
Government officials? They contacted us yesterday and told us that we're not on the list for today. I'm trying to get my hopes up anyway.
In the evening, what's become known as hostage square in Tel Aviv filled with Israelis, waiting to celebrate another exchange. But soon, word spread of a delay and that Hamas was unhappy with the way aid was being distributed in Gaza. Families of the remaining hostages suddenly feeling the fragility of this temporary ceasefire.
Now, every evening, we wait. It's like Russian roulette.
Noam Saeed's 75-year-old mother, Ada, wasn't on today's list of those to be released. News of the pause made that worse.
I feel like we are so close and so far on the same time. We are in the hands of so many people we don't trust.
Hours later, the deal was back on.
Yesterday, it felt good, and today, I think it was something that we could expect that it won't go.
Smoothly all the way. Norhshani's 16-year-old son, Amit, is being held in Gaza.
I'm angry and I'm full of hope. I miss my son, but I'm also reasonable. All the thing altogether.
Finally, the exchange happened with a push from Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries. Tonight in Tel Aviv, there's relief mixed with apprehension. No one here knows what will happen tomorrow.
Aaron McLauchlin with us now. Aaron, for those families waiting for their loved ones to be released, what happens next? Jose, the.
Families of the hostages.
Tell us they receive a call in the late afternoon, letting them know if their loved ones are.
On.
Tomorrow's list. Regardless, they say each release gives them hope for the next. Jose.
Aaron McLauchlin in Tel Aviv, thank you. While President Biden helped get today's transfer back on track, there are new questions tonight about why no Americans were released. Kelly O'Donnell is traveling with the President in Nantuck at Massachusetts. Kelly, did Mr. Biden give any timeline for the Americans?
Jose, he's signaling optimism, but with two transfers of Hamas-held hostages and no Americans among them, US officials do tell us they are disappointed, but remain hopeful, although not certain that that could soon change. Two women with American citizenship and a four-year-old girl could be released. Now, the President was out and about here in Nantucket before attending Church, and he was asked about the status of hostages, and he said, Hopefully, you'll see something soon. The President was also on the phone early today at the first sign of a delay, speaking with the Prime Minister and the Emir of Qatar, talking about the hurdles in this process and urging all the parties to get back on track. Jose?
Kelly O'Donnell in Nantucket, thank you. Turning to other news, Derek Chauvin, the former Minnesota police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, was himself the victim of a violent attack while serving time in an Arizona prison. Liz Croyt has details.
Tonight, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the murder of George Floyd, hospitalized after being stabbed at the Arizona Prison, where he's serving a more than 20-year sentence. A law enforcement source tells BBC News that Derek Chauvin was seriously injured from the attack, which happened at a medium security federal correctional institution in Tucson. Chauvin was transferred there as part of a plea deal that allowed him to move out of a high-security state prison in Minnesota.
Find the defendant guilty.
In 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd after being recorded on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for about nine minutes. In a statement, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed an assault happened around 12:30 PM local time Friday, but did not name Chauvin. The agency said employers performed life-saving measures before transferring the inmate to the hospital. Is there a concern about security in prison for high-profile inmates?
There is always a security concern for people who are famous or infamous or police officers, law enforcement in prisons. Medium security does not mean medium safety.
The stabbing comes after Chauvin recently spoke out for a new documentary where he calls his trial a sham and says the knee restraint was a technique he learned in police training.
Excellent restraint technique right in their written policy manual.
No comment tonight from Chauvin's attorney. The office for the Minnesota attorney general says Chauvin is expected to survive. Jose.
Liz Croyt, thank you. Tomorrow could be the biggest test in history for the airlines with what's expected to be the busiest air travel day ever. But with storms already hitting parts of the country, will the weather cooperate for your trip home? George Solis has a preview. This weekend, travelers.
Heading home from the holiday throwing an extra curveball with snow and rain in the forecast amidst heavy traffic on the roads.
There's one thing in the world you have no control over, it's the weather. You just do what.
You got to do. 14 million people under winter weather alerts from Texas to New York. Tonight, Kansas in the Bullseye, where gusty winds and as much as eight inches of snowfall may pave the way for treacherous terrain. Some roads already blanketed.
You're going to have slippery travel for today. Out west.
In Wyoming, police saying icy conditions led to this Thanksgiving 19 car pile-up on a major highway. Officials say four drivers ended up in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The snow has intensified here.
In Northern Colorado and Western Oklahoma, snow quickly building up on surfaces. By late Sunday, downpours in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast may damper travel back home.
We're delayed 30 minutes. Fingers crossed that the rest of the day goes smoothly.
At airports across the country, the TSA is bracing for the mass exodus of passengers heading home. Tomorrow is their Super Bowl.
Tomorrow is their Super Bowl. Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday for the airlines.
That's when a record-breaking 2.9 million are expected to fly the most ever in a single day.
Sunday is going to be the biggest test that the airlines have faced this year, and perhaps the biggest test in air travel history. George Soliz is at the Philadelphia International Airport tonight. George, how's it looking so far?
Yeah, Jose, according to the board here, we got a handful of delays here at PHL, including one cancelation. Nationwide, there are just over 3,000 delays. The good news, so far less than 50 cancelations. The bulk of those delays are out west. Jose.
George Solis in Philadelphia, thank you. Pope Francis is resting at his residence in Vatican City tonight after a trip to the hospital today. The 86-year-old Pope underwent a CAT scan after coming down with a mild case of the flu. The tests came back negative for any lung issues. His next public appearance is scheduled for tomorrow for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square. Still ahead. Just how much Americans spent shopping on Black Friday, and does it mean bigger deals in the weeks ahead? Plus, shocking videos, swarms of criminals, robbing delivery trucks. What happens if your gifts are stolen? Black Friday is a traditional kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and an early sign of just how strong the season will be for retailers. If stores get off to a slow start now, it often means bigger deals in the weeks ahead. Ryan Cheung, reports. One, two, three, four.
Black Friday used to start with scenes like this. But this year, an iffy economy for some, leading to some disappointment at the cash register.
The deals.
They were okay.
I would say that I did get better.
Deals a week or two before.
Black Friday.
Spending.
A lot.
More money. According to Mastercard, Black Friday sales in-store and online were up two and a half % compared to last year. Less than some estimates for the shopping season. Shoppers like Kelly Morgan are trying to deal with higher prices and high credit card rates.
We actually make more money this year than we did last year, but we have less left at the end of every week this year than we did last year. So we're trying to find that balance. We're out shopping for something that's going to be the.
Best price, and we get the most bang for our buck.
Retailers are responding, offering big discounts in key categories. According to Adobe, on Thanksgiving Day, toys were up to 28 % off, electronics were up to 27 % off, and computers were up to 22 % off. And on this small business Saturday, it's the mom and pop stores that could benefit. Last year, shoppers spent almost $18 billion at their local shops, and nearly nine in 10 consumers saying they'll do the same this year.
And Brian joins us now. So, Brian, what are the experts telling you? Is it better to buy now or wait for a better deal later?
Jose, experts are telling us that the deals are pretty good, so if you see exactly what's on your list at a pretty good discount, go ahead and buy it before it sells out. Jose.
Brian Zhang, thank you. And if you're ordering items online, stay with us because after the break, we'll have the shocking delivery truck robberies caught on camera. What you need to know. With more people ordering gifts online this season, there are growing concerns about alarming caught on camera delivery truck robberies. Here's Maggie Vespa.
Tonight, amid the holiday shopping rush, a rash of retail theft. Often what appear to be mobs of thieves targeting and sometimes taking delivery trucks with packages inside.
I'm trying.
To try. These chaotic scenes playing out across the country. Look, I want to try it on. Drivers left helpless.
Oh, my God.
And even in danger, like this one held at gunpoint in Florida earlier this year. Communities on edge, too.
We.
Need these guys. They deliver our stuff and all that, man. So these guys.
Are stopped. Amazon, FedEx, and UPS all calling employee safety their top priority. Amazon says incidents like this are rare, while UPS tells us drivers are taught to be aware of their surroundings and to report anything they consider unsafe. How long have you been with Skokie PD?
Twenty-five years.
In suburban Chicago, Skokie police detective Jose Mendo says crimes like these often come with few consequences for the criminals. These huge mobs of people, swarming stores, swarming trucks like these massive smash and grabs. What is fueling this?
My opinion is the lack of accountability. A lot of these kids, the majority are juveniles and there are no consequences. So they feel emboldened.
These brazen and sometimes violent robberies come as holiday shopping is surging. Experts expect this season's spending to top pre-pandemic levels with Americans devoting more than half their budget to buying online. Can 3, 4,000 stores- Retail crime analyst, Karl Langhorst, says all those extra parcels make the trucks an irresistible target. Let's say this does happen to someone at home. One of their packages gets stolen in this way. What can people do if that happens to them?
If it gets stolen from a trucks, the major carriers will let the consumer know that there was a problem with the delivery in contact with the company that they ordered it from. So hopefully it can be resent.
Fighting this crime, a growing challenge when the target is on wheels, delivering precious gifts for the holiday season. Maggie Westphal, BBC News.
When we come back, there's good news tonight. The elementary school team is giving one football player a victory he will never forget. There's good news tonight. So often the good news doesn't get as much attention as the bad. So every Saturday, we highlight the many people who spread joy and love. These are just some of those stories this week. This is a memory UPS delivery driver, Bill Long, we'll treasure forever. Hundreds of friends from his root in Dover, Pennsylvania, celebrated his last delivery after 35 years on the job. I mean, look at these people. The best people I could possibly have had a job. And in Atlanta, when mom, Lauren Montgomery, was packing up to move with her three kids, they thought they'd be going to another apartment. We can't have all that. Oh my God. But mom and dad had secretly bought their first house for the family.
Oh my God.
Oh my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. The kids, overwhelmed and overjoyed to realize this was their very own new home. When Billy Boston got married in California, there was a surprise before his vows that brought him to tears. Take a look. You can't even keep your eyes on me. Billy thinks he's about to see his bride for the first time, but it's really his brother, Johnny, who's in the US Navy and wasn't expected to make the ceremony. The brotherand sisters, reunited for one of the biggest days of Billy's life. And in Kentucky, there was greatness on the griddy. Go, Baylor. Go, go, go. See that boy? That's 12-year-old Baylor Smith on the Ballard County Bombers scoring his first touchdown. The special play set up by both teams to make sure Baylor who was autistic got his star moment. Go, go, go, go.
Go, baby, go.
It meant everything to mom, Tiffany. Tiffany, take us to that final moments, that touchdown. I knew I was going to cry.
Go Baylor, go!
Because I was watching this boy that struggled for so many.
Years finally get what.
He deserves. What do you think the bigger message is? The bigger message to me is really it is inclusion. I hope more people see the impact it's made on Baylor, and they do it in their schools, and on their.
Teams, and let's start kindness again.
That's ABC Nightly News for this Saturday. I'm Jose Diaz-Milar. Thank you for the privilege of your time and good night. Thanks for watching.
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More hostages released after the Israel-Hamas deal almost fell through, the police officer convicted of killing George Floyd was ...