Hostages Freed, Drifting Icebergs, and Hollywood Time Travel

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Hostage Release Continues

Seventeen hostages held in the Gaza Strip were released yesterday, the third group freed during a tenuous four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that was held over the weekend and up to early this morning. In exchange, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners. 

The Qatar and US-mediated cease-fire began Friday (see previous write-up), with Hamas agreeing to release at least 50 of around 240 hostages abducted during their initial Oct. 7 attack in Southern Israel in exchange for about 150 Palestinian prisoners. The majority is said to be primarily women and children on both sides. As of late yesterday, 43 hostages had been released by Hamas, while around 100 prisoners had been released by Israel. 

Among yesterday's group was at least one American—4-year-old Abigail Mor Edan. Reports suggest she was taken Oct. 7, during which both her parents were killed. Also released was 9-year-old Israeli-Irish citizen Emily Hand, who was previously believed to have been killed. 

If the cease-fire holds, US officials say they may push for an extension. See updates on the war here. 

Iceberg Adrift

The world's largest iceberg is drifting from the Antarctic Circle toward the Southern Ocean, scientists confirmed late last week. The floating mass sheared from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in 1986 but became stuck on the floor of the Weddell Sea. 

Labeled A23a, the iceberg is roughly 1,500 square miles in size (five times the land area of New York City) and about 1,300 feet thick (taller than the Empire State Building). Satellite imagery suggested the block had begun moving in 2020 before becoming fully adrift in recent months. 

As A23a melts, its effect on sea level increase will be minimal—floating objects displace their own weight in water (see 101), with small differences due to salinity—though researchers say it may threaten wildlife if it runs aground at the nearby island of South Georgia. 

Read more about the iceberg's trajectory here. 

Indian Tunnel Rescue

Efforts to rescue 41 trapped Indian workers inside a collapsed tunnel in northern Uttarakhand state enter their third week today, as rescuers mount three separate digging approaches to the enclosed laborers. All of the 41 men are reportedly in good health and receiving regular hot meals, water, and medicine via a small pipe. 

The collapse first occurred Nov. 12 amid construction of the three-mile Silkyara tunnel, one part of the government's Char Dham highway project connecting four Hindu pilgrimage sites. Rescuers bored horizontally through a section of nearly 200 feet of fallen rock, coming within 30 feet of the cavern before the drill hit metal girders and malfunctioned late last week. A superheated plasma cutter was airlifted to the region Sunday by the military to clear the broken machine, and slower manual drilling was expected to resume. Two other teams are simultaneously digging from above and from the far side of the tunnel.

Officials believe a breakthrough to the trapped men could occur within days. 

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