Tonight. We're just hours away from a pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas and the first group of hostages being released from Gaza. What we're learning about how the 13 women and children will be freed after more than a month in Gaza and what the president is saying about it tonight. Will Americans be among those released? Also, Israel's new pledge to continue its military campaign after the pause in hostilities ends. Plus, we speak to one of the two doctors left inside the besieged Al Shifa hospital. What they say about their struggle to save lives. Border crossing, car explosion. The FBI's new statement about that fiery crash near Niagara Falls that had so many on edge ahead of the holiday airplane outrage. Shocking behavior on board as travel records are set over the Thanksgiving holiday. Plus, the video that's sparking backlash against a major airline. The former Obama administration official arrested after an Islamophobic rant was caught on camera. The hate crime he's now charged with as tensions remain high across the country. It's a Black Friday like no other. What a buyer's market this season could mean for you. We'll tell you where to find the deals and when.

Plus, the warning you should hear before you buy. And giving thanks, our Harry Smith on finding joy on Thanksgiving at the dinner table, even doing the dishes.

This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening and happy Thanksgiving. I'm Kate Snow in for Lester tonight, just hours from now, we expect a pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, the first step toward an expected hostage release on Friday. Earlier today, officials in Qatar, which helped broker this deal, said the first group of 13 women and children would be released to the Red Cross and taken to safety. We don't yet know the names of who will be in that group, though the Israeli government says it is contacting those families. And it goes without saying it has been an agonizing wait for their loved ones. If the agreement holds, 50 hostages could eventually be freed over the coming days in exchange for Israel's release of Palestinian prisoners. That is a fraction of the 240 hostages that may be captive in Gaza, according to the office of Israel's Prime Minister. And in the hours remaining before the pause in fighting is due, strikes on Gaza continue. And many residents inside Gaza say they worry what will happen after the four day pause ends. We have two reports tonight, beginning with RAF Sanchez on the ground in Tel Aviv.

Tonight, after a day of nerve wracking delays and intense fighting in Gaza, the long awaited hostage deal is set to move ahead.

We have just finished with all the communication with all parties.

Qatari negotiators say the four day ceasefire will start at 07:00, a.m. Local time tomorrow, midnight tonight, Eastern. And 9 hours later, the first group of hostages, 13 women and children, due to be released.

Those hostages who are from the same families will be put together within the same patch.

President Biden saying he hopes American toddler Abigail Moore Idan, who turns four tomorrow, will be among those freedom. Israeli troops have been instructed not to tell her that her parents were murdered by Hamas.

The blood runs out of my body.

Iyal Moore's cousin, nine year old Ohad, is being held along with his mother and grandparents, their family jolted by the.

Delay, to know that it is postponed. And you don't know? Friday, maybe tomorrow, maybe later. It is horrifying, really. Nightmare.

In return for the hostages, israel agreeing to release 150 Palestinian women and teenagers from prison and allow hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza. But Israel's military says it will keep fighting and may even intensify its strikes right up until the start of the ceasefire, and that its war against Hamas will continue after the truce. The pause will come too late for more than 5000 Palestinian children killed in Gaza, according to the Red Crescent. Among them, seven year old Nor dug out from the wreckage of her bedroom her mother, Shama, returning to what's left of their home to look for winter clothes for her surviving children, but also hoping to find noor's notebook. The girl was painting and her brother was sleeping. She says the notebook is nowhere to be found. A small reminder of her daughter's short life lost beneath the rubble.

And Raph is with me now. Raph, we mentioned earlier this deal for hostages will still leave most of the 240 hostages inside Gaza. What becomes of them?

Well, Kate, the deal could be extended more days of ceasefire in return for more hostages. Israel's Prime Minister is also saying the Red Cross will now get access to those remaining hostages. But the Red Cross tells us they're not aware of any agreement.

Ref, Sanchez. Forrest. Ref, thank you. At the largest hospital inside Gaza, al Shifa, tonight, just two doctors remain trying to take care of about 200 patients. Early today, Israel says it detained the director of that hospital and took him in for questioning. Aaron McLaughlin has more tonight as fighting.

Rages across Gaza, a temporary ceasefire just hours away. Ahmed Mukhalati, one of two remaining doctors at the besieged Al Shifa hospital, tells.

NBC News the Israeli soldiers and officers pushing you, and I say, if you don't leave the hospital, your life will be taken.

How are you going to leave Al Shifa, once a refuge for tens of thousands of gazins fleeing the war, now Muhalati says there are only 200 patients left too sick to leave on their own.

Patients are here with all kinds of injuries. We can't save them, we keep losing them. We lost a patient overnight, and we lost another one yesterday.

Today, the Ghazan Health Ministry announced there'd be no more convoys of ambulances out of Al Shifa after the Israeli military arrested the hospital's director. While he's not been charged, the IDF has accused him of collaborating with Hamas.

They tried to ruin this tunnel in order for us not to be able to enter.

After the Israeli military discovered several tunnels beneath the hospital complex once used, they allege as Hamas military headquarters.

Above us is a hospital. Above us, patient, wounded, doctors, all being a human shield.

This is the IDF faces international pressure to justify its seizure by force of the largest hospital in Gaza. The Israeli military found tunnels under Al.

Shifa staff who were treating the patients. What's under the ground is under the ground.

The who tells NBC News there are only two of 24 hospitals still operating in northern Gaza tonight. There's fear that without a full ceasefire, there soon won't be any hospitals left. Aaron McLaughlin, NBC News Television.

Tonight we're getting new information about that deadly car crash at the border crossing between Canada and New York yesterday. The FBI now saying there is no link to terrorism, adding they've turned the investigation over to local authorities. Two people inside the car died in the crash. Near Niagara Falls in New York City, a one time advisor to President Obama was arrested after he was caught on camera harassing a street vendor with an Islamophobic rant. Stephanie Gosk has details.

I'm working now, okay? Can you leave, please?

The videos are hard to watch.

We killed 4000 Palestinian kids. You know what? It wasn't enough.

On multiple occasions. Stuart Seldowitz, a former national security advisor for President Obama, berates a street vendor in Manhattan.

You're a terrorist. You support terrorism. I'm not some I'm just working.

You hurling Islamophobic insults.

Did you rape your daughter like Mohammed? Speak English. That just shows how ignorant you are.

Saldowitz also questions the vendor's immigration status.

American citizen. How did you become an American citizen?

At one point taunting him by taking his picture. The 64 year old is facing multiple charges, including stalking as a hate crime and harassment. According to the NYPD, a different vendor from the truck speaking out.

We want to feel safe in this community. We don't want anybody buzer us.

The incident is the latest example of a surge in Islamophobia since the war between Israel and Hamas began. According to the Council on American Islamic Relations, the AntiDefamation League reports a more than 300% increase in antisemitic incidents as well. In an interview with NBC New York, seldowitz claimed the vendor supported Hamas and.

That'S what got me upset.

While also admitting some of his reactions went too far.

The comments that went beyond him and could be interpreted as attacks on Muslims and Arab Americans and so on were probably not appropriate.

He may now have to defend himself in front of a jury. Stephanie Gosk, NBC News, New York.

As a record number of Americans are traveling for the holidays, there is tension in the skies with several cases of air rage caught on camera. Guad Venegas has that and the video that's sparking outrage against one major airline.

As millions travel this holiday week, there's trouble in the skies with unruly passengers. On Monday, this woman on a frontier flight from Orlando to Philadelphia becoming upset and pulling down her pants, according to a witness.

I'm ready to be over here.

Sorry, everybody.

Are you scared? And as soon as we touched down.

She decided that she wanted to be.

The first one off the plane. And then the lady decided that she was going to use the bathroom.

Another incident on board another frontier airlines flight, this one from Houston to Denver. Witnesses say mid flight, a passenger began yelling she was being kidnapped. The flight diverted to a Dallas airport. NBC news reached out to frontier airlines regarding the incident, but has not heard back. This as a video of a wheelchair crashing onto the tarmac at Miami international sparks outrage online. The traveler who posted the clip writing, I saw them do this and laugh with the first two wheelchairs. I had to get it on film. American airlines now reviewing the incident, saying this visual is deeply concerning and we are gathering more details so that we can address them with our team.

What the handlers of our wheelchairs probably don't understand is that, like I said, these are a person's legs.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, who uses a wheelchair and is an advocate, urging congress to make air travel more accessible.

Too many air carriers have demonstrated that drastically reducing the rate of broken wheelchairs and assistive devices is simply not a corporate priority.

Another challenge for air travelers, as many get ready to head back home after Thanksgiving. Guad Vanegas, NBC News well, tomorrow is.

Black Friday, but the sales have already begun, because unlike many a Christmas past, it's a buyer's market. Christine Romans now, with the price you.

Pay, it's a holiday shopping season like no other consumers in the driver's seat as retailers fight for those precious dollars. I'm definitely spending a lot less this year on Christmas as compared to the previous years. To entice inflation weary shoppers, stores offered early deals way back in October. With healthy supply chains and stocked shelves, retailers are cutting prices to move goods. As much as 35% off for toys, 30% for electronics, and 25% off apparel. The best deals begin tomorrow for kitchen, gadgets and small appliances, video games, consoles and electronics continuing through the weekend. December will have the best deals on toys, sporting goods and tools. This weekend's bargains KitchenAid mixers around 30% off TVs for less than $100 at best buy and AirPods for 189 99 at the big box stores, $10 less than last year. What's the one thing people should know before they open their wallet or their app on black Friday? There are going to be tons of deals this day, but they are going to continue on throughout the weekend and into December. So don't feel that need to buy right away that you're going to miss that deal. Only bargains if you pay them off with credit card interest rates 20% or higher.

$1,000 shopping spree. If you only pay the bare minimum, it'll take you two years to pay it off with $200 extra in interest. You don't want this year's shopping list to become next year's debt hangover. Christine Romans, NBC News, New York.

In 60 seconds, our eye opening conversation with student groups on one college campus where strongly opposing views are making it hard to find common ground. Since the Hamas attack on Israel in early October, the war has created stark divisions on college campuses nationwide. Our Antonia Hilton returned to one school for a candid conversation with student activists on both sides of the issue.

The campus of Cornell may look the same as always, but it feels different here. Students are on edge and have been since the war began, and a student was arrested for making violent anti Semitic threats. How would you describe the climate right now? We're getting threats on campus, so it's like, how can you mourn? I'm numb. I feel like I'm desensitized. We asked students from the Jewish organization Hillel and Students for justice in Palestine to meet together. Both declined.

I don't think it's the right time.

If you have family and friends in the region, it's not an intellectual exercise to debate and discuss Jewish students. Zoe and Simone are the descendants of Holocaust and Pogrim survivors. My cousin is a paratrooper in the Israeli Defense Forces. He's 20 years old, and within the first day of the war, 20 of his friends were killed or taken hostage. Malach is Palestinian and has family in Gaza. She says her grandparents were forced out of their homes in 1948. Like, I grew up hearing the stories of what Israeli militia did to them. At one point, the tension was so high at Cornell, classes were canceled, and the Department of Education is now investigating alleged harassment complaints at Cornell and other schools. I've noticed a lot more stares, a lot more unease just around me. Being around. It's just been really, really challenging for people on this campus. When I'm seeing my peers march down the streets chanting things like, from the river to the sea, which we've seen as really a call for genocide or an ethnic cleansing of Jewish people. Many Jewish students see that slogan, from the river to the sea as a call for violence.

Many Muslim students say it's a call for equal rights.

The thing says, from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. The question is, where is it? From the river to the sea, palestinians shouldn't feel safe. That's a better question. I think we should entertain. Let's look at the map and say, I want Palestinians to be free. I want Jewish folk to be free everywhere. From the river to the sea. That's what it means.

My problem is with that slogan in specific, not whatever message anyone thinks they're sharing with it. Because Hamas has used it. It's been appropriated by a terrorist organization. Cornell has increased security and promised new programs to fight anti Semitism. And tells NBC News they condemn all forms of discriminatory bias.

Our coalition, our individual organizations all came together and condemned antisemitism.

What would it take to maybe just slightly open the door to either healthier dialog or more dialog here on campus? For no one on this campus to use the slogan from the river to the sea, palestine will be free again. I think it's just too painful for Jewish students to hear until I can be seen as a human and until my humanity of being a Muslim, of being a Palestinian, is seen first, then it's hard to have a conversation. For now, neither side believes the other can see their humanity. Antonia Hilton, NBC News, Ithaca, New York.

Still ahead, how a much maligned holiday veggie went from bitter to better. Okay, there are a lot of things that can divide families during the holidays, but I bet you never thought Brussels sprouts was one of them. Either you love them or you hate them. But tonight, Jake Ward tells us about the big changes making the most vilified vegetable, the new in demand dish stinky spongy.

Slimy brussels sprouts have a terrible reputation, even among the farmers who grow them. My mom, God bless her, she's a great cook, but she couldn't you know, I couldn't eat the Brussels sprouts. When Steve Bottelli's father first planted the crop on their fourth generation family farm in the 1960s, most wound up frozen for the tastiest Brussels in all the land and then boiled overboiled. And they were really bitter. And we kind of turned off a whole generation of potential customers because of that. Brussels are naturally bitter to ward off pests, but generations of breeding have eased that up while keeping them hearty and making them easier to pick. But we're not just better at growing them, we're better at making them, too. Hama Cruz, head chef at Gabriella Cafe, showed me how it's done. You fry them for just two minutes or so.

This is their secret.

A little sweet apple vinegar crunch on top. Tosteona hazelnut.

Yeah.

Beautiful. Just sweetens them up just a little bit. Owner Paul Cocking says he sells hundreds a night. At least half the tables order them. At least half tables each. Very popular. And even a once reluctant kid now eats them three times a week. You're not sick of them? No, no, not at all. No, they're wonderful.

These are not my mama's brussels sprouts.

There are so many reasons to be grateful friends, family, good fortune. But this year, enjoy the fact that your food is more fresh and you are better at making it than at any Thanksgiving in history. Jake Ward, NBC News, Watsonville, California.

My husband does a great job with Brussels sprouts. So when we come back, Harry Smith on the nostalgia of Thanksgiving. Thousands line the streets of New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The annual tradition, which began 99 years ago, featured 49 balloons this year, along with 26 floats carrying Broadway performers and, of course, the big guy, Santa Claus. This is a day for counting our blessings, for expressing gratitude for all we have. For Harry Smith, it's a day to say thanks for the memories.

First off, it's not about the food. The turkey, no matter the preparation, more often than not, requires gravy and lots of it. It's aromas that are key, those smells that bring back memories from the days when you were at the kids table simultaneously thinking you wish you were bigger and at the same time, pleased not to be with the grownups. The kids table was always more fun. We know that smell and memory are close neighbors in the brain. And on Thanksgiving, it seems the visions of holidays past are quite clear. Mom, as usual, going that extra mile in the kitchen, guests bringing pies. Some great, some not so guests and pies. There is always some melancholy, even mourning. But the mists are remembered with fondness and laughter. We look around the room and pause and gaze lovingly at the faces of the folks who surround us. Even if there's not, there's room for dessert. And yes, now you can turn on the football game. But first, help with the dishes, please. Harry Smith, NBC News.

Love it. That is nightly news for this Thanksgiving. Hope you're with the ones you love. I'm Kate Snow. For all of us here at NBC News, stay safe and have a great night.

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