Even before the first phase is completed, the fragile cease-fire agreement that has paused 15 months of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas faces increasingly long odds of lasting or even reaching phase two.

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari has

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari confirmed

This came in phone call between Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio - Anadolu Ajansı

Mediator Qatar says an agreement has been reached to release an Israeli civilian hostage and allow Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.

Israel has prevented thousands of Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, accusing Hamas of violating the terms of a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released.

Steven Witkoff, who played an important role in brokering the truce between Israel and Hamas, also met with Israel’s prime minister and visited Saudi Arabia.

Fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, control the crowd while Red Cross vehicles come to collect Israeli hostages to be released under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar, File)

CORRECTS ID - Thai hostages who were freed from Hamas, from left to right, Surasak Rumnao, Sathian Suwannakham, Bannawat Saethao, Watchara Sriaoun, and Pongsak Thaenna hold the Thailand flag in Israel, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv via AP) (Uncredited/Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv)

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas freed eight hostages on Thursday as part of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but the chaotic handover of some of the captives, who were shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands by masked militants, drew an angry protest from Israel.

Hamas confirmed for the first time on Thursday that Israeli killed the head of its military wing, Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike last year. Deif was one of the alleged