The sources said that while Hamas has successfully recruited new members, many are young and untrained and are being used for simple security purposes.

Before their release, the hostages, four female soldiers, were led onto a stage in Gaza City, surrounded by masked, uniformed fighters.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said the U.S. wanted a ceasefire deal in Gaza and all remaining captives released before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

A cease-fire announced Wednesday will end the 15-month war between Hamas and Israel and includes the eventual release of all hostages held by Hams and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The Islamist group Hamas said Monday that eight of 33 hostages to be released from the Gaza Strip in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel are dead. Twenty-five of them are still alive,

Latest news and live updates as a Gaza ceasefire deal is reached after more than a year of war between Israel and Hamas.

Throughout the war, the Israeli military had barred Palestinians from returning to the north by severing Gaza along the Netzarim corridor, a belt that runs east to west across the strip where troops cleared out the Palestinian population and set up bases.

Israel’s longest war has so far failed to destroy its main enemy, Hamas, which, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself – and a failure for Israel.

The failed Senate vote was a setback for the bill, which aims to punish the court for its decision to prosecute top Israeli officials for war crimes based on the military offensive in Gaza.

Crowds of displaced Palestinians made the arduous journey back to heavily destroyed northern Gaza for a second day Tuesday, under a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. More than 375,000 Palestinians have crossed into northern Gaza since Israel allowed their return on Monday morning,

The Israeli prime minister will be the first foreign leader to visit Washington in Mr Trump’s second term in office.