The ceasefire in Gaza Strip will start at 8:30am local time in Gaza (9:30am Doha Time) on Sunday, January 19, 2025, said the Ministry

The Rafah crossing has been shuttered for over eight months but is opening again as part of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians returned to the northern Gaza Strip this week after checkpoints were reopened in line with the ceasefire agreement. Many will have found their homes destroyed after months of heavy fighting and bombardment – something the new US president, Donald Trump, has pointed out.

Wealthy Arab nations consider bankrolling Gaza’s reconstruction, but they want assurances Palestinians will lead in the postwar period.

One of the most prominent Palestinian prisoners that will be released on the first day of the truce include Khalida Jarrar, a senior member of the Popular Front for

The deal, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. stipulates that Israel releases 50 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each soldier released. Hamas handed over four Israeli captives in

“It needs to be addressed as a whole. The whole issue is to find a sustainable path toward peace and where we can see Israel and Palestinians living side by side peacefully together and giving every assurance that both people will be secure,” he tells Channel 12’s Arad Nir in Paris.

Already, the fragile deal has come under considerable stress, and it could collapse in the weeks to come. Yet for the time being, the fighting has stopped in both Gaza and Lebanon, and hostages have begun to come home.

Follow NBC News live updates for the latest coverage of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani calls for deal to be seen through to end, insists on two-state solution as only path to peace between Israel and Palestinians The post Hostage deal framework was mostly ready by December 2023,

Israeli forces also opened fire in Lebanon on protesters demanding their withdrawal by Sunday’s deadline under a separate ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group.