Red Cross vehicles arrived Saturday in a location in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis where Hamas is set to release hostages as part of a fragile agreement that has paused fighting after more than 15 months of war.

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.

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.

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.

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.

With a ceasefire agreement pausing the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli troops have withdrawn from Gaza city centers.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

Hamas and Israel will carry out their fourth hostage-prisoner swap of the Gaza ceasefire on Saturday, with the militant group to free three Israeli captives in exchange for 90 inmates in Israeli jails.

Four female Israeli soldiers held hostage by Hamas have returned to Israel after militants paraded them in front of a crowd of thousands in Gaza City.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed 15 months ago that Israel would achieve “total victory” in the war in Gaza — by eradicating Hamas and freeing all the hostages.