Middle East Conflict

Gaza's Health Ministry has recorded more than 500 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the start of the ceasefire on Oct. 10.

Residents of the enclave described desperate conditions as they awaited the reopening of the key Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Hamas remains heavily armed and still holds thousands of rockets and anti-tank missiles and tens of thousands of Kalashnikov rifles, Israeli officials say.

The return of the last hostage remains saw the clock that had presided over a Tel Aviv square since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks finally turned off.

Gaza’s government urged its more than 40,000 civil servants and security personnel to cooperate with the Palestinian technocratic body with U.S. oversight that is meant to exclude Hamas.

The return of Ran Gvili has been seen as the remaining obstacle to opening the Rafah crossing and forward with the next phase of the ceasefire.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, as further violence was reported Gaza.

Much of the Gaza Strip lies in ruin from more than two years of Israeli strikes, with its 2 million residents largely living in tents.

More than 200 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began in 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to join, although it isn't known if any leaders have agreed to pay $1 billion for a permanent seat.

The former British prime minister comes to the new role with "heavy baggage" from the Iraq War, analysts say.