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Mughrabi and James MackenzieGAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and headed back to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday as the Red Cross went to collect the first hostages to be freed in a ceasefire deal that halted fighting in Gaza after a rocky start.

The Red Cross was involved in the hostage releases that took place in November and December of 2023 as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Spoljaric’s last visit to Gaza was in December of 2023.

Phase one of the deal states that Hamas officials will release a total of 33 hostages, many of whom are children, women and people over 50. In return, Israeli officials will release 50 Palestinian prisoners held in their jails for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for other hostages held by Hamas.

Only a trickle of aid is reaching the area, leaving the Palestine Red Crescent Society teams in Gaza delivering lifesaving aid with much reduced resources. Beatrice Butsana-Sita, chief executive British Red Cross, says: "Before the conflict around 500 ...

While the news of the ceasefire has been widely welcomed, in particular by the South African government, it remains to be seen whether each phase of the agreement will actually be implemented as outlined by those who have brokered it.

Heavy Israeli bombardment, especially in Gaza City, killed 32 people late on Wednesday. The strikes continued early on Thursday and destroyed houses in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza and in northern Gaza,

Three hostages released from Gaza are now in Israel in the first test of a fragile ceasefire with Hamas. The three hostages are Romi Gonen, 24, kidnapped from the Nova

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal. Meanwhile,

By Mohammed Salem, Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and return to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday,

Doctors Against Genocide are working to bring home 11 American doctors and nurses from Northern Gaza after Israel denied their exit.

An English teacher writes of escaping with her family to Egypt, where life is hard. But would it be possible in Gaza?