breaking news. >> and welcome back to our coverage of the israel-hamas war. i'm wolf blitzer in tel aviv. we're learning that the third group of hostages has been released to the red cross. today 17 hostages are being delivered to freedom. the idf said the most recent group of hostages includes both israelis and foreigners. we have heard from american officials that they have hoped that one american would be among the latest transfer of those held in hamas captivity in gaza. we're watching all of these dramatic developments unfold. i want to start with oren liebermann here in tel aviv. i know we're being briefed. give us the latest. >> right now we're expecting the release of a total of 17, 14 israeli citizens and that includes ann israeli russian citizen and three foreign nationals. if we look at the first part of the agreement that we hope will be continued, it was for 50 israeli hostages. that means as of right now, we have 13, 13 and 14. so that is a total of 40 at this point. if my quick math is creck there. and we look for this to continue over the course of the next several hours. we've seen how long it could take for this to play out. from hamas to the idf and then stray to the hospitals. we've seen as least as of today, so far it has played out without the road blocks and the problems that require intense diplomatic efforts. we don't see that right now. we've heard that didn't happen. so this process is now playing out much smoother and more quickly than it did yesterday. >> because yesterday there was delay after delay, for hours. we don't know what was going on and now things are move ago cording to plans. >> there was questions yesterday whether the deal would fall apart. hamas accused israel of not letting in the proper amount of aid and israel accused hamas of breaking up families and that put the deal at race. the qataris and president biden stepping in there to make sure this doesn't fall apart. the u.s. viewed this as a test period and there was a risk that it would fall apart. now here we are at day three, the process of the release has begun and we look forward to hopefully day four with certainly not certain yet but the possibility that there could be an extension. >> and we assume that the transfer will be along the lines of what happened for example yesterday, they will be aboard the red cross vehicles and will go through rafah from gaza into egypt and then what? >> they crossed through other places earlier in the agreement, now we wait to see. the air base was not used yesterday. there are different routes. we'll see as the evening goes on here. it is in the early evening hours. we'll see how this plays out over the course of the next few hours. the health of the hostages. the biggest issue from purely the physical side appears to be malnutrition. in fact, the family of karen munder said she and her mother lost between six to eight kilos, that is tremendous weight loss. they say that is largely because of diet for days on end was only pita bread and there was some rice and bread. but certainly not enough. we've even had a chance to speak to some of the doctors who treated the patients who say, look this was the most serious physical issue. they have had tremendous malnutrition and that is one of the big issues. that doesn't touch on the mental health aspect of being held in captivity. that process is just beginning. >> ab when the hostages do reach israel, they will immediately receive at least some medical examination before their actually transported by helicopter or plane or vehicle to a hospital in israel? >> the quickest of medical checkups as soon as possible. when they cross that border into the hands of the idf. that is just to make sure that there are no serious injuries and that sends this em to a hospital in southern israel. we saw one freed hostage transferred there yesterday. but the more serious checks will be done at the group of hospitals that will take them in and begin the recovery process. >> tay with me. because we're watching all of this unfold. there is major breaking news. force the first time now also a u.s. citizen is expected to be among the hostages released by hamas today. i want to go to arlette saenz. she's covering the president of the united states up in nantucket, massachusetts, where he is right now. you have this part of thetory. he's been spending the thanksgiving holiday week where you are. what is latest? what are you hear being an american being released? >> reporter: well white house officials are watching the latest release waiting for news if american citizen was part of the third group of hostages released out of gaza. today jake sullivan told dana bashes that the u.s. has reason to believe that one american citizen will be part of this release and they have a good sense of who that was but unable to confirm who they anticipate this american citizen who will be released by hamas to be. there are three americans that officials have said fall into the category of the 50 women and children that are expected to be released over the course of the four-day pause. that includes two women who the u.s. have not named an the young girl abigail adan, a 3-year-old taken captive by hamas and turned 4 years old on friday. the white house has been very eager to get her back home to her family. and jake sullivan will not confirm if she is part of the group but there is growing optimism to get her out of gaza and officials have been working around the clock to try to ensure that the deal remains on track to get the larger group out but to get the americans out. the white house has said they are hopeful that the three americans will be leaving gas youa in the coming day as part of this deal but they want to make sure that the implementation has been able to go forward as planned. joe biden talking with qatar about anything that needs to be cleared, are cleared. it is not just the three american women and children, but there are in total about 10 americans who are unaccounted for and missing. jake sullivan said they didn't know the whereabouts of the american citis but they're hopeful to get them out at some point. president biden is still here in nantucket. he's scheduled to leave around 1:30 before he heads to the white house. we'll see if we hear from him later today on the latest release. but jake sullivan did say they are hoping for a good day as they are hoping there will be one american citizen coming out of gaza. >> and i think it is really significant as you report, that president biden has been the phone with qatari leaders who have been deally involved in trying to mediate all of this to make sure this is all as planned. we'll get back to you. if you get more information we'll come back to you right away. part of deal was to deliver much more humanitarian aid, medical supplies and food and water and fool to gaza. and we have belief that is happening. and i want to go to larry who is jibing us from cairo right now. what is the situation on the ground as far as you know? >> reporter: wolf, we've seen dozens of aid trucks make it from egypt across the rafah crossing into gaza today. the last that we heard was that at least 100 trucks had made it through. but a warning here, that is just talks that have come from across border into gaza and being distributed because once they go past egypt, they go through an israeli checkpoint where they have reverified and then allowed back up into gaza where they are unloaded and reloaded into trucks and run by humanitarian agencies selling them across the gaza strip and today we have confirmation from the res crescent that at least another 100 trucks have made it to gaza. yesterday this deal was delayed for hours claiming there was not enough trucks. one of the trucks made it into northern gaza and bringing relief supplies and food and water and bringing other essential first aid materials for people needed in northern g gaza that's been badly hit by bombardment. we have confirmation that the hostages have been handed over to the red cross. we're watching that rafah border crossing and at same time this could only happen because aid keeps coming in and that is an if important part of the deal. if that doesn't happen, the whole thing falls apart. one more day as efforts to try to make sure this comes in longer which the aid agencies have been saying, there is a lot greater need. the u.n. telling cnn today that they need 200 trucks to come in every day for two months to meet the needs of so many people who have been displaced, 1.7 million since this con flick broke out on october 7th. >> larry, good work. we'll get back to you. stay there. we'll be in touch. oren liebermann is still with us. part of the deal is that the aid goes to gaza and hundreds of trucks are gearing up to bring humanitarian supplies and food and fuel and water and all sorts of badly needed supplies to the people in gaza. at the same time hostages are being handed over to the red cross, which is very significant. but amid all of this there is a temporary truce. there is no continued israeli air or ground assault going on. that is part of the agreement as well. >> it is an absolutely critical part of the agreement and in that one question you get the whole time line by which this has to play out and it is on a day-by-day basis. and the truth has to hold and from first few minutes, a couple of days ago, it has. and because of that, that has allowed the humanitarian aid to go in. more trucks have gone in since october 7th. it is not just entering gaza, it has to get to northern gaza and that is one of the stumbling blocks yesterday and slows the process of the release of the hostages and led to the whole diplomatic necessity of the u.s. and the qatari stepping in to make sure this happens. this has to get into gaza and northern gaza an that is one of the major issues. that aid continues to flow in. but larry was right, it is a small percentage or fraction of the aid that is needed overall and that is why it is so critical to try to alleviate even a small fraction of the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded on the ground there. meanwhile, israeli forces remain in large numbers in gaza but have taken up defensive positions waiting to see how long this truce stops. netanyahu and other members of the war cabinet have made it clear when the pause in fighting ends, the war itself is back on and both sides obviously preparing for that moment as well. even as there are qatari efforts and international efforts to make sure the pause if the fight continuing for as long as possible to release as many hostages and palestinian pribers as possible and get as much humanitarian aid in after 50 days nearly of war. >> and humanitarian aid is coming in. that is really significant right now. orren, stay with me. jeremy diamond is at the border crossing between israel and egypt. what are you seeing now? this is a significant location over the first two hostage release programs? >> reporter: that is right, wolf. but we've just moved locations. we are actually in orim. about where we are is mainly because we've understood that there are a couple of different points where these hostages could cross today. of course, we have seen over the last two days that shallom has been the crossing of choice for the hoftsages. they go into egypt via the rafah crossing and drive the short distance to karen shallom before driving on a road. but this road here is one of the places through which the hostages would travel, whether they wore coming from karen shallom or from a different point along the gaza strip coming into israel. and so our understanding is that this road, we will be seeing a convoy of those newly freed hostages once they cross into israel wherever that may be. but, wolf, we have watched over the last couple of days as we've seen both the promise of this deal, but also the fragility of it. yesterday was the day during which we saw a number of issues arise as those hostages, they're release was delayed by hamas for hours yesterday. with a lot of uncertainty about whether or not the deal would end up materializing for a second day in a row. in addition to that issue about aid going into gaza, i'm also told that there was a major hangup over the fact that the 13-year-old who was released yesterday, her mother who was also taken hostage with her on october 7th, she was not included in the list that hamas gave to israel the day before that release. and so throughout the day, i'm told, that israeli officials behind the scenes were very much fighting, pushing very hard to try and get her mother rya included in yesterday's release. but it seems that officials decided it was better to get at least one of the two family members out of gaza rather than continuing to push for the second. there is also, wolf, a question about rya's whereabouts and her condition at this moment. it appears to be unknown. and as we know, hamas has many of those hostages, the majority of them in their custody but did not have all of them. some are held by jihad and other militant groups inside of gaza. and so one of the points of this four-day truce and the reason for the suspension of those surveillance drones over gaza for at least six hours aday is in order to give hamas the opportunity to reach out to these other groups, to ascertain more information about the whereabouts of all of the nearly 240 hostages that were taken. so we believe that that effort is underway. but certainly, wolf, still a lot of uncertain and this effort is being taken day by day. but for now we know that the hostages are in the hands of the red cross and expected to cross into israel very soon. >> jeremy, we're going to get back to you. i whant to goo back to arlette saenz. more good news, i take it. more very good news. we understand that this little american girl, this dual citizen abigail adan, four years old, is now in the hands of the red cross. is that what you're learning as well? >> reporter: yes, wolf. major and good news for the white house and the family of abigail adan. a senior u.s. official tells our colleague m.j. lee that abigail adan, that 4-year-old dual american israeli citizen is now in the hands of red cross officials. the white house officials have been saying they were hopeful that at least one american citizen would be released by hamas this morning. and now they do have confirmation that the red cross has abigail adan. she has been held hostage for past 7 weeks. her two parents were killed. shes had two siblings that survived and the white house hooz been working trying to get them home. she is the first american hostage that is being released as part of the four-day truce that is hoping to get at least 50 women and children out of gaza. now the white house said there were three americans who fell into that category. that includes two women who they have yet to name and also this young girl abigail adan. president biden yesterday speb some time on the phone trying to ensure that the deal stayed together. speaking with the qatari appear and prime minister. but the white house has been working since the start of this attack in trying to get these american hostages back home. there are still about nine missing americans believed to be held hostage. but abigail adan is in the hands of red cross officials. we'll wait to see once she arrives and is reunited with her family. but jake sullivan earlier today said that they had been hoping this would be a good day, a joyful day. it certainly is one for this white house. we'll see if we hear anything from president biden as he is set to depart nantucket a bit later today. >> and so just to be precise, abigail is one of three americans that we believe had been held by hamas as part of these hostages? >> reporter: well, so, abigail is one of the three people that the u.s. believed could have potentially gotten out as part of this deal. that was negotiated to release 50 women and children. there are other americans who are still being held hostage, unaccounted for and the white house will continue to work toward their release. but today there is abigail adan and she's in the hands of the red cross officials. there are two other women that they think could be coming out in the next couple of days and they have not been able to pinpoint which day that could happen but it is something the white house is working towards as well. >> and we have confirmed now that this little 4-year-old girl is now in the hands of the international red cross and presumably on her way with these other hostages back to israel. that is very, very good news. very encouraging to hear this. >> it is. absolutely so. because it is been a question of how this will play out after such a rocky road yesterday. but it appears the process is beginning to play out. red cross is the critical first step in the transfer from hamas. the red cross will then give them to the idf and we've seen over the course of the past couple of days the lengths to which israel and its military have prepared to receive the hostages. knowing that it would be women and children here doing what it could to make the children as comfortable as possible. in fact, they released earlier today a video of a 9-year-old knowing that he liked rubix cubes so they had one of those ready for him and noise canceling headphones for ease knowing what these hostages have just been through over the course of the past seven weeks. nothing easy about what has played out here. certainly not with the difficulties that we saw yesterday. but what we're seeing right nnow, the same difficulties is not playing out. this is a very good sign. not only for the families that have waited so long to see loved ones but it is a good sign for tomorrow for this process continuing. and it is at least a hopeful sign for the possible continuation of this. we don't know figure for certain. but it is what everyone here wants to see. not only the u.s. and the qataris and israel and hamas and the international community to see a longer period of a pause in the cease-fire which would allow more humanitarian aid to come in and more hostages to be released both the israelys and the foreign nationals that are held there and the palestinian principlers in israeli jails. >> they're part of this arrangement as well as part of this arrangement. stand by. we're going to have much, much more on all of the breaking news that is unfolding right now. once again, 17 hostages freed on this day. the latest round in this temporary truce. rep repeat the words temporary truce. coming up, my interview with the israeli president isaac herzog. we got his emotional reaction to return of the hostages and whether israel wants to extend this temporary truce even longer. stay with us. we're following the breaking news. look at these live pikes coming in right now from the rafah border crossing. from gaza into egypt. this is where the red cross vehicles will be bringing the latest batch of hostages including a young little sweet 4-year-old american girl who will be headed from gaza into egypt and then eventually making the short drive into israel continuing this process. we're watching all of these developments unfold. so far so good on this day. oren liebermann is watching this with us as well. so far no delays, no serious problems as far as we know right now. things are clearly moving in the right direction. >> and this is wonderful news for the families of the hostages waiting to see them. we've just get the heads up from theize really military, they have gone from hamas to the red cross. we learned that and now we've learned from the israeli military, the isd -- the idf, they will make their ways toward their families and toward the checkups that they need at this point and that means that today's process has played out as we expected. certainly much better than all of the road