Israel-Hamas War, Day 52: Hopes Rise For Truce Extension, Elon Musk Meets Netanyahu In Israel

As the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas approaches its final day, talks of an extension have emerged, supported by key nations including the U.S. and Qatar. So far, 58 hostages have been released under the truce — a significant achievement given the lack of direct contact between Israel and Hamas.

Both Israel and Hamas are now considering extending the current truce, with international backing. The current question revolves around how long the shared interests that led to the agreement will endure, allowing for the return of more individuals abducted in Hamas terror attacks in Israel and the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza.

Here are the latest developments, as the conflict enters its fifty-second day.

• Negotiation challenges: The inclusion of mothers in the prisoner release list is a point of contention. Israel emphasizes the importance of releasing children with their mothers, citing a previous instance where this aspect of the deal was violated, as confirmed by an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson cited by the Times of Israel. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu expressed openness to extending the truce in exchange for the release of additional hostages.
  
• Uncertainty over American hostages: The fate of additional American hostages in Gaza remains unclear, with U.S. officials monitoring the situation closely. John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, informed CNN on Monday morning that the administration is uncertain about the release of two American women later in the day. He emphasized that they are actively addressing the situation on an hourly basis.
  
• Elon Musk visited an Israeli kibbutz that was attacked by Hamas last month. This visit occurred just weeks after Musk denounced an antisemitic social media post on X as “the actual truth.” During their conversation, Prime Minister Netanyahu told Musk, “We have to demilitarize Gaza after the destruction of Hamas,” adding that this process will take time. Netanyahu showed Musk the acts of inhumanity committed by Hamas in the community of Kfar Aza. The Israeli communications minister confirmed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has agreed not to activate Starlink over Gaza without Israel’s approval.

• UK Prime Minister denounces antisemitism: In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak denounced antisemitism “in all its forms” and stressed that it is unacceptable whether one is Musk or an ordinary citizen. He called for increased resources to protect Jewish communities in the UK.

Market Reactions: Israeli stocks began the week on a slightly weaker note, with the Tel Aviv 125 index declining by 0.7% on Monday. Meanwhile, the shekel exhibited strength, appreciating by 0.4% against the dollar. Notably, the iShares MSCI Israel ETF EIS is set to resume trading on Monday after the Black Friday weekend. It has been on a four-week winning streak, surging to levels not seen since before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.