hello, again, everyone. thank you so much for joining us. i'm fredricka whitfield in atlanta, alongside wolf blitzer in tel aviv. we're monitoring breaking news. cnn has learned a convoy of egyptian ambulances and a bus are now moving toward the gaza side of the rafah border crossing. they are set to transport 20 hostages expected to be released by hamas. the exchange is set to happen at any moment now. these late developments follow an anxious hours-long dispute that delayed the transfer of the second group of hostages. officials say the group will contain 13 israelis, including eight children and five women. qatari officials say an additional seven foreign nationals who fall outside the framework of the agreement between the two sides, will also be released. we're learning qatar, the u.s. and egypt helped to smooth over tensions, after hamas disputed the amount of aid being delivered from gaza and the selection of the 39 palestinian prisoners set to be released by israel as part of this brief four-day truce. let's send it over to tel aviv and wolf blitzer. >> fred, thank you very much. cnn has, of course, our eyes and ears on the ground covering all of the breaking developments in this hostage exchange. cnn's matthew chance is with me right now. i know you're working your sources, especially you're learning that qatar was playing a very significant role behind the scenes in trying to get this deal back off the ground. >> reporter: that's right. qatar, which has been essential in the mediation of this hostage deal, has been intervening again tonight, along with egypt and the united states as well, to try and make sure it stays on track. hamas had been holding back the release of the second group of hostages, because it said it hadn't had sufficient aid deliveries into the gaza strip that were promised by israel. they also said the prisoners released from israeli jails were not the mixture of prisoners that they had anticipated and they had agreed. those problems appear now to have been resolved. the qataris coming out with a statement not long ago saying the issues have now -- the obstacles have been overcome. and so we are now expecting a second group of hostages, including 13 israelis and seven foreign nationals as well, to be released shortly. we don't know the timeframe of that. it's obviously a very complicated logistical series, but at the moment, just past 10:00 in the evening here in tel aviv, local time, it seems like the second group of hostages will be released tonight. we will see. >> i'm just wondering if this threat that came out a few hours ago, you're familiar with it, from the israeli defense ministry, that hamas has until midnight local time. what is it now? it's just after 10:00 p.m. midnight local time to make sure this hostage release goes forward. otherwise, israel is going to resume its military action against hamas targets. i wonder if that played a significant role as well in convincing hamas right now that it's time to get this deal back in action. >> reporter: well, it potentially could have. all along the israelis have been saying that, look, it's military pressure and military pressure alone that has forced hamas to the negotiating table, and has resulted in the releases of the hostages so far. so that would speak to that. fortunately, it looks like we're in a situation right now where that's not going to be tested and we're not going to be seeing the resumption of hostilities or the military operation in gaza now as long as this release is go ahead, and that's a good thing. because even though there are obstacles, what everybody wants to see are more hostages released. hopefully that will happen tonight and over the next few nights as well. >> there's a spokesman for the israeli defense ministry, daniel hagari is doing a briefing right now. >> translator: egypt and qatar acting toward fulfillment of the agreement with terrorists hamas. families have huge pressure, our hearts are with you. you have to be patient, despite all the pressure. we will first update you, and afterwards the public by the media. we will update you on any stage and the media will later update the public. we will update you until the hostages are back in israel. please stay tuned to the official reports. tomorrow's hostage is in jeopardy, true to what's happened today. before the delay today there was a report that hamas was ready to extend the cease-fire in return for more hostages. can you confirm that? >> we are determined to fulfill the framework by tonight, this is why things have been delayed. we need to be patient. things will happen and we will update. now there is progress as we speak. things will happen and we will have updates on every stage. we also prepare for the fact that tomorrow the outline continues to happen as it should be. once there are details about the list, we'll first update the families, and afterwards the media. this is regarding tomorrow. >> there was a report that hamas said there would be more hostages released, more than the 15 that were agreed upon. >> for anything that will happen after the fulfillment of the agreement, we will update the public only after things will be verified. at the moment, we need to focus night by night. it's small steps. there's a long way, an effort to bring the hostages back. it's a high priority and we will get them back any way we can, either by the outline or war. >> the rest of the agreement in doubt -- >> translator: there is an agreement. on behalf of the idf, we fulfilled the agreement as israel agreed. there are mediators, very serious ones, in qatar. they insist that it will happen, the agreement as agreed. there is a terrorist organization, a murderous one called hamas, and we need to make sure the agreement is fulfilled. we stopped it in order to fulfill the outline, the hostage release is high priority. yesterday there was huge excitement and we wanted to continue. >> translator: what's the red line behind the idea that hamas will not fulfill this part of the deal? will you go back to maneuver, and whether the release gave you any intelligence? >> translator: in this agreement we are in full operational preparation. this is why i recommend not to speak about red lines. we manage according to the deal. we don't need to update hamas. there are countries who are mediators of this agreement and are obliged to it. if the agreement is not being fulfilled, we will do our own estimation and we will update separately the media as we did until now in the war. each hostage who has been released, for each of them there's a world and the memory for each of them, whatever they learn, whatever they remember, we will not update on anything like that. >> translator: what was the gap between israel and hamas? what did israel agree to give in return for progress? >> translator: there is an agreement, nothing has changed tonight. we are going with the agreement. there is the humanitarian side. i'll give an example. there's going to be humanitarian aid, if we check the trucks that are coming here by american aid and egypt, there is humanitarian equipment, the u.n. and international organizations are toward gaza. ch checking, the idf is assisting according to the agreement. >> translator: what was the solution? there was talk about the length of time that the prisoner has served. >> translator: i'm telling you we are fulfilling our part of the deal. the entering of trucks and prisoners, there are mediators. if there are gaps, we are talking about them and we will talk again tonight. we are progressing toward what is agreed. entering the trucks toward gaza, this is according to the capabilities of the international organizations. we are prepared in the operational spots regarding the cease-fire. apart from that, our forces are preparing, refreshing toward the next stage of the war. regarding the tunnels, we are following intelligence, we are looking at high priority on hamas leaders, whoever they are. did israel have any advance intelligence? did hezbollah shoot toward israel or was it false alarm regarding the alerts in the south? the information i have is that it was false alarm. we have intercepted and we are very cautious toward threats. i'll tell you, it's important that the public understands yesterday was the first 24 hours of this complex event of bringing back the hostages and there is anticipation that everything will be the same every day. we need to be patient. this is a complex incident, each 24 hours such as this is an operation. we have intelligence and operati operational headquarters, which the idf led. we are dealing with it 24 hours a day, leading these headquarters. the commanders, the intelligence, the operational people, we follow all the data in order to see that the hostages go through each stage. only then, we are updating the public. we regard it as an operation and it doesn't necessarily mean that each day will be the same. you have to be patient. as much as i understand that the families are in huge pressure and hardship, this is why i urge to be patient. verified information we will give. but we will not give information which is not verified. we commit to you that once things happen, we will deliver them efficiently. >> translator: is the delay going to impact the next stages of the deal? are there any gaps left regarding the next phase? >> translator: i'll say again, nothing is finished until it's actually happened. despite yesterday's events and the excitement, you need to be patient. each 24 hours is an operation. we're talking about something that happens in gaza, with all of its complexities, the red cross, the egyptians, hamas. this is complex, complicated, and it doesn't happen like a precise clock. it doesn't mean anything about tomorrow or the day after. we will do everything in order for things to happen the best we can so that people can get home. we will create the conditions for that. but it's complicated with complicated players, headed by a cruel terror organization with its own goals, to create psychological pressure and other things. therefore, we need to be patient until things are happening, and we will update officially. thank you very much, and have a good week. >> so there you heard admiral daniel hagari, the spokesperson for the idf briefing us on the delay in the second batch of israeli hostages and foreigners who were expected to be freed, but so far they have not yet been freed. matthew, we were listening very closely to what he had to say. his basic message was be patient, we're watching this very, very closely, we'll let you know what's going on. but clearly he was accusing hamas of engaging in what he called psychological pressure to try to get what they want. but he was also making it clear, i think abundantly clear between his words, that israel is getting ready for more military action if that is required to get the deal done and to try to destroy hamas. >> reporter: he definitely said that. and of course that's the israeli position, that once this deal is done, the military operation will resume. and he also said that if this deal breaks down, they're ready, they're standing ready to resume military operations in the gaza strip. he didn't specifically repeat the threat that we were discussing earlier, that at midnight tonight, in just under two hours, if the hostages aren't released, the military action will resume. that's good, i think n the sense that he was talking about significant progress. yes, nothing is done until it's done, but there is significant progress. and he said that as far as he was concerned, the deal is still in place, which i thought was also significant. >> he said things are happening and he was expressing his gratitude to both egypt and qatar for trying to make it happen, to make sure the israeli hostages are about to be released. >> reporter: that's clearly what everybody wants, as we were saying earlier, for this deal to continue night after night, for as long as possible. even if that means painful releases from the point of view of the israeli side, of palestinian prisoners from israeli jails. the delivery of hundreds of trucks of relief aid into the gaza strip, if that means getting israeli hostages out and the foreign nationals that are held hostage as well, then i think a lot of people in israel, the majority of people in israel, perhaps, want to see that continue. >> he said there is an agreement, but at the same time, he said our forces, and i'm quoting him now, are preparing for the next stage of the war. so he was clearly issuing that threat to hamas, you guys better do what you promised you would be doing, otherwise get ready for what you called the next stage of this war. >> reporter: that's right, and he also said -- i've got it noted, if they can't release the hostages through negotiations or through the deal, then they'll do it through other means. they'll do it through their operational means as well. so, look, even if this deal only results in the release of 50 plus israeli hostages, which is a lot, but that's what's currently on the table, there are still 190 more that are still in gaza. so what israel is saying there is that they will use whatever means are necessary, including military means to get those hostages out in the end. >> jeremy diamond is on the border between israel and egypt and gaza. it doesn't look like there's any traffic behind you. we were hoping we would see red cross cars and ambulances and vehicles bringing the hostages to where you are in israel so they could be transported to hospitals elsewhere in israel around tel aviv, presumably. so far, nothing. it's empty over there, right? >> reporter: that's right, wolf. there is some press here waiting. there are military officials who are waiting. what we expect is that once they cross into egypt, via that rafah crossing, they will travel less than two miles to the crossing just over my shoulder here. those flashing lights, that is the turn that that convoy would take, if indeed they do come in tonight, via the kerem shalom crossing, and they will go to the hospitals on their way to meet their families for the first time. there is such a moment of anticipation across this country tonight as people are watching the news, are waiting to see if, indeed, this deal comes through. it does come after a significant day during which we saw how fragile this temporary truce between israel and hamas is, how fragile this deal is to secure the release of these civilian hostages. we saw hours of negotiations trying to salvage this deal, and tonight, as you just heard from the israeli military spokesman, significant progress toward getting these hostages back. the qatari government, of course, has said that there is indeed a deal, that it will move forward tonight. you also heard from daniel hagari how fluid and tenuous the situation is. he's made very clear that we are taking things night by night, as they prepare to receive this latest group of civilian hostages. they are also preparing for tomorrow and for the day after that. but they know that there will be more bumps along the road. they know that there will be demands by hamas or that there will be provisions in the agreement that one side or the other says are not being properly implemented. and so there is so much about this, wolf, that remains fragile. i think today certainly showed everyone that that's the case. >> very fragile, indeed. so much at stake right now. we're watching it very closely. jeremy, stand by. we'll get back to you. i want to go to cnn's nada, where the prisoners are not going to be released until the second batch of hostages are freed. what are you seeing and hearing over there? >> reporter: there's certainly a lot of people here, we have in the last two hours seen names be released, detailing the names of the palestinian detainees and prisoners who are set to be released if we do see the safe return of the hostages from hamas captivity. among that list of 39, it was originally 42, according to officials this morning. now 39 are set to be released, including 33 teenagers and six women. the vast majority of them are from the occupied west bank, and we've been hearing from families who were gathering here from the early hours of this afternoon, despite the fact that they didn't have confirmation. many of them desperately hoping that their sons, daughters, brothers and sisters would be among those listed today. we have been speaking to one family who have found out their 16-year-old son, who was held under administrative detention for seven months, that means no charges laid against him, no ongoing legal process, they have now had confirmation that he is on tonight's list. they are waiting to see whether or not he is, in fact, released. and of course as you mentioned, that release is dependent on the safe return of those hostages tonight. we did earlier this morning see three buses entering the prison and that is where they will be held until we get confirmation. they will undergo checks by the red cross and the red cross organization and teams on the ground will be in the convoy that will transport the detainees and prisoners onwards into the occupied west bank, where they will be returned to their families. yesterday we saw a huge amount of celebration, of course. many of the families and locals celebrating the first batch of prisoners and detainees released. we have seen slightly smaller crowds today because of that uncertainty. it is beginning to get busy here, but we are anticipating some of those detainees and prisoners will be transported, if, indeed, we do see the release tonight. >> nada bashir in the west bank, watching this unfold. qatar says the hostages in gaza who are set to be released today, let's hope they are, include eight children. we're going to talk to a unicef representative about this and much more right after a quick break. part of this very important truce agreement is an increase in aid flowing into gaza. a spokesperson for the rafah border crossing which connects egypt and gaza, says at least 133 aid trucks have entered gaza so far just today. but top aid organizations are warning that is not enough to help the families caught in the middle of this war. right now i want to bring in james elder, a spokesperson for unicef, the united nations childrens' fund. thank you so much for joining us. i know you're in gaza, you've been to the hospitals and met with the families. can you describe to us briefly what life is like for the children in gaza right now? >> wolf, it's absolutely ghastly. i knew things were bad here. i didn't imagine they were this bad. i don't go anywhere without hearing a story of someone who has lost a loved one. i was at the hospital today and it's a war zone. there are children at shifa and it's taken them days to get here. it's a stench because children have had limbs blown off and they've spent three days on a bus with decomposing limbs. it's just a stench and scream of kids. the hospital is full of this. wolf, i'm in the south during a pause in fighting. it's hard to imagine what this is like for people in the north. the thousands of children that have been killed and the many thousand more with these horrendous wounds of war, the burn victims i can't get out of t my mind, and of course the hundreds of thousands of children that will be sleeping rough tonight and it's getting cold. this is the reality and this is apparently on a good day. >> what kind of work, james, are your teams on the ground, your unicef teams on the ground doing during this temporary pause in the fighting? what is the top priority right now? >> i think there's probably three. one is the aid, as you say, getting a lot of aid to the north, as much as possible. a big convoy today. biggest convoy we've seen since the resumption of aid more than a month ago. that's medical supplies, that's bla