TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians

imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to their deadliest & most destructive war. EXCELLENT encouraging news! Let us hope Hersh Goldberg-Polin is released as needs URGENT care, arm blown off by HAMAS

I know his mother and father, Rachel Goldberg is mother, two very kind, generous, God fearing people, who simply want their son home or at the least to get care…as a mother, she is grieving, I spoke to her today.

‘The father of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who Hamas took hostage at the Supernova music festival in Israel, said he has gained some "strength" from seeing a video of his son on the day he was kidnapped.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin is a "curious," "laid-back person" who "loves learning about people and the world," his mother, Rachel Goldberg, said on ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Tuesday.

When Hamas terrorists stormed the music festival on Oct. 7, the 23-year-old hid with a group in a bomb shelter, his parents said. The militants opened fire and threw grenades, and Goldberg-Polin's arm was blown off, his parents said.’

‘The pontiff said he met at the Vatican with relatives of some of the more than 240 hostages held in Gaza, and separately with a delegation of Palestinians with relatives who are jailed in Israel for terror offenses.

In the VIP seats of St. Peter’s Square were people holding Palestinian flags and scarves as well as small posters showing apparent bodies in a ditch and the word “Genocide” written underneath.

Alexandra Ariev, center, speaks during a press conference at the Italian Jewish Center in Rome, November 22, 2023, with other representatives of the families of the Israelis abducted by Hamas on October 7 and held hostage by terrorists in Gaza, shortly after they met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

“Here we’ve gone beyond war. This isn’t war anymore, this is terrorism,” Francis said. “Please, let us go ahead with peace. Pray for peace, pray a lot for peace.”’