In return, Israel is set to release about 90 Palestinian prisoners, according to a Hamas-linked prisoners’ information center. The previous handover descended into chaos.

Ofer Kalderon, Keith Samuel Siegel and Yarden Bibas will be released on Saturday by Hamas. | ITV National News

The return of fighters to Gaza streets highlights how Israeli bombardment has failed to achieve Netanyahu’s goal or eradicating Hamas as a political force.

Experts discuss how long rebuilding Gaza's $18.5 billion of damaged infrastructure could take after 15 months of conflict.

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.

In exchange, Israel freed 110 Palestinian prisoners. Their release was delayed because of chaos surrounding Thursday’s hostage handover in Gaza.

Hamas has released eight hostages five Thai farm workers and three dual German-Israeli nationals. That's in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The cease-fire is also a beacon of hope for Palestinians who have suffered immensely during Israel’s 15-month campaign to eradicate Hamas. The Palestinian civilian death toll is estimated to be in the tens of thousands, with more than 80 percent of the population internally displaced.

The return to the status quo was clearly evident Sunday when the terrorist group and its supporters brazenly paraded around Gaza City’s Saraya Square during the first day of the cease-fire,

The cease-fire has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released.

With a ceasefire agreement pausing the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza city centers.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.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Crowds of people gathered around vehicles carrying three hostages as they were released by Hamas as part of ...