Rarely seen in the open while the war raged, masked and armed fighters spread out publicly through Gaza’s cities in a show of force on Sunday.

With a ceasefire agreement pausing the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza city centers. For the first time in eight months, NPR got a glimpse of Rafah this week.

Rifts with Hamas and a far-right minister’s threat to resign complicated progress toward the Israeli cabinet’s vote on the deal, which includes the release of hostages.

Turkey's intelligence chief discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza in a phone call on Monday with officials from the political wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas, a Turkish security source said.

As the Gaza ceasefire takes hold, aid workers caution that the toughest challenges are yet to come, describing the truce as only the first step on a long road to recovery.

Smotrich said he has received assurances that Israel will resume the war after the first phase, during which 33 hostages held in Gaza are to return home and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. The second phase, which must still be negotiated, is to work out an end to the war and return of all remaining hostages.

Hundreds of Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, some cheering and some in tears, as a giant television screen broadcast the first glimpse of the first three hostages to be released under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The four Israeli soldiers released were taken from Nahal Oz base near the border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it, killing more than 60 soldiers there. A fifth female soldier in their unit, Agam Berger, 20, was abducted with them but not included in the list.

A warning has gone out to seafarers in the Persian Gulf over what appear to be attempts by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to compel ships to enter Iranian waters. While Iran has a history of harassing and impounding vessels,

Two hundred Palestinian prisoners have also been released today by Israel in the latest stage of a ceasefire deal.

A week after the Gaza ceasefire took effect, the second group of hostages has been exchanged for Palestinians held by Israel. After more than 15 months, Israel and Hamas have agreed on a multiphase plan.

Israel’s military says it won’t complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah militants