A group of powerful Arab nations released a statement on Saturday rejecting President Donald Trump's proposal that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip be relocated to Egypt and Jordan. 

The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, as well as the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States met in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday, and released a joint statement afterward detailing matters that the leadership of the powerful Arab countries agreed upon. 

Their agreements included "expressing the continued full support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land and their adherence to their legitimate rights under international law." The statement said the officials "affirmed their rejection of any violation of these inalienable rights, whether through settlement activities, the expulsion and demolition of homes, land annexation, or the displacement of Palestinians from their land." 

"They also rejected any efforts to encourage the transfer or uprooting of Palestinians from their land, under any circumstances or justifications," the statement, released in English by the Qatari government, said. "Such actions, they noted, threaten regional stability, exacerbate the conflict, and undermine the prospects for peace and coexistence among the region's peoples." 

ISRAEL ORDERS UNRWA TO CEASE OPERATIONS IN COUNTRY OVER TERROR TIES: 'MISERABLY FAILED IN ITS MANDATE'

The statement also "welcomes" the cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas that was brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. 

"The participants also expressed their commitment to working with the administration of US President Donald Trump to pursue a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in line with the two-state solution, and to strive for a conflict-free region," they said. 

Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Friday if he believes that it is a good idea that Egypt and Jordan accept Palestinians from Gaza despite the two countries denying they would do so. 

"I think Jordan will take people, yeah, people from Gaza, and I think Egypt will take them also. I mean, I heard somebody said they're not going to, but I think they will. I feel confident they will," Trump said. 

Israel's war in Gaza, which was started by the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis, is believed to have eliminated most of the terrorist organization's grip on the region, but the matter of reconstruction and eventually reformed leadership without terrorist control hangs in the balance amid a fragile cease-fire agreement. 

Trump first floated the idea of Egypt and Jordan taking in about 1.5 million people from Gaza while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One last month. 

"I’d like Egypt to take people," Trump said. "You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, 'You know, it’s over.'"

"It’s literally a demolition site right now. Almost everything’s demolished, and people are dying there," Trump said of the destruction caused by the 15-month war. "So, I’d rather get involved with some of the Arab nations, and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change."

Last week, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said the transfer of Palestinians from Gaza "can’t ever be tolerated or allowed."

ISRAELI PARLIAMENT BANS UNRWA OVER TERRORISM TIES, FACES INTERNATIONAL BACKLASH

"The solution to this issue is the two-state solution. It is the establishment of a Palestinian state," he reportedly said at a news conference. "The solution is not to remove the Palestinian people from their place. No."

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also said that his country’s opposition to Trump's idea was "firm and unwavering."

The Egyptian government said El-Sisi received a call from Trump on Saturday but did not mention the issue. 

"The call fostered a positive discussion between the two Presidents, underscoring the critical importance of advancing the implementation of the first and second phases of the ceasefire agreement, and ensuring the stabilization of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip," according to the Egyptian government read-out. "Additionally, the call emphasized the urgent need to increase the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief to the residents of Gaza." 

El-Sisi "reiterated the imperative to reach lasting peace in Middle East," according to his government. "He affirmed that the international community places its trust in President Trump's capacity to secure a historic and enduring peace agreement, which would bring an end to the decades-long conflict in the region. This is grounded in President Trump's commitment to peace, which he underscored in his inaugural address, as a man of peace. President El-Sisi stressed the vital necessity to launch a peace process conducive to a permanent solution in the region." 

Jordan already is home to more than 2 million Palestinians, according to the Associated Press. Egypt has warned of security implications of transferring large numbers of Palestinians to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, bordering Gaza.

Both countries were the first to make peace with Israel, but they support the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured from Jordan and Egypt in 1967's Six-Day War. 

The Israeli government ordered the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to cease its operations in the country as of Thursday amid allegations the agency is involved with the Hamas terrorist group. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for the U.S. on Sunday to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, looking to strengthen ties with the U.S. government following tensions with the Biden administration over the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu departed for Washington amid the ceasefire with Hamas – which includes hostage releases – still in effect and negotiations for a second phase expected to begin this week. He will be the first foreign leader to visit Trump since his inauguration on Jan. 20.

"The fact that this will be his first meeting with a leader of a foreign country since his inauguration holds great significance for the State of Israel," Netanyahu said in a statement.

HAMAS RELEASES 3 MORE HOSTAGES, INCLUDING US CITIZEN, AS PART OF FRAGILE CEASEFIRE DEAL

"First of all, it indicates the strength of the alliance between Israel and the United States. Secondly, it also reflects the strength of our connection; a connection that has already yielded great things for the State of Israel and the region, and has also brought about the historic peace agreements between Israel and four Arab countries – the 'Abraham Accords' that President Trump led," the prime minister continued.

This comes nearly 16 months after the war in Gaza began, prompted by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, leading to military retaliation from Israeli forces.

ISRAELI WOMAN BRAVELY DESCRIBES HORROR AS HAMAS HOSTAGE: 'THEY WERE TAKING PLEASURE IN HURTING ME'

"The decisions we made during the war, combined with the bravery of our IDF soldiers, have already changed the face of the Middle East," Netanyahu said. "They have changed it beyond recognition. I believe that with hard work alongside President Trump, we can change it even more for the better."

"Our decisions and the courage of our soldiers have redrawn the map. But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further and for the better," he added.

Netanyahu and former U.S. President Joe Biden experienced tension in their relationship during the last administration in Washington, and the Israeli prime minister has not visited the White House since returning to office at the end of 2022.

"We can strengthen Israel's security, we can expand the circle of peace even further, and we can bring about a wonderful era that we never dreamed of. An era of prosperity, security, and peace from a position of strength," Netanyahu said. "The strength of our soldiers, the strength of our citizens, the strength of Israel, and the strength of the alliance between Israel and the United States."

Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel and Reuters contributed to this report.

An Israeli student who attended graduate school at Harvard dealt with hostility due to his religious identity and found himself at odds with a professor who compared the idea of the Jewish state to "White supremacy." 

Matan Yaffe is a founder of an organization that helped Israel's Bedouin Muslim population and came to Harvard so he could gain the skills to further his mission of Tikkun Olam or "healing the world." It didn't take long after his arrival for the trouble to begin. 

"Pretty soon on the first day, there were already hints that something was kind of off," Matan Yaffe told Fox News Digital. 

Yaffe, 40, accepted a scholarship to attend Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government in June 2022. Having founded Desert Stars, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides educational and employment opportunities to Israel’s Bedouin community. He was excited to attend the Ivy League school to gain skills he could apply back home. 

Yaffe, an IDF officer, said his first impressions of Harvard were positive, but when he entered the Kennedy School’s "Organizing: People, Power, Change," course taught by Professor Marshall Ganz, he immediately became aware that his Israeli identity would become an issue.

HARVARD SETTLES TWO LAWSUITS DEALING WITH ALLEGATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM

Yaffe is barred from discussing Professor Ganz by name per the terms of a settlement Harvard just reached with the Brandeis Center, which represented the father of five along with other Israeli and Jewish students, but Ganz is named in the lawsuit.

Yaffe decided to team up with two other Israelis on a project entitled "Organizing a growing majority of Israelis acting in harmony building on a shared ethos of Israel, as a liberal Jewish democracy being a cultural, economic and security lighthouse."

The professor summoned the Israelis to his office and informed them that their project was "offensive" and were told they needed to change topics or face "consequences," Yaffe claimed. Ganz allegedly felt that the phrase "Jewish democracy" was at issue and likened the concept to "White supremacy."

AS A HARVARD JEWISH STUDENT, I KNOW ELISE STEFANIK IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM AT THE UN

Yaffe was aghast that his project, or homeland for that matter, could be compared to White supremacy, especially since he was hoping his research could help him return to the NGO world to help make Israeli society more inclusive. 

"48% of the world’s nations define themselves by religion or ethnicity including all the Muslim states," Yaffe said in the tense meeting. "I asked him if he ever forced a student to change topics before, and he said no. The whole thing was bizarre," he told Fox News Digital.

The meeting concluded with Yaffe telling the professor that his behavior was antisemitic.  

The entrepreneur said that he and his Israeli classmates were then subjected to a campaign of silencing from the professor. When a fellow classmate offered harsh criticisms of their homeland, they asked to be able to respond.

"You’ve already done enough damage," the professor allegedly replied. Yaffe asked the professor if he would prefer if the three Israeli students dropped his course, Ganz allegedly said he would.

Despite the professor’s seeming antagonism towards the Israeli students, Yaffe and his project-mates attempted to foster dialogue with their classmates regarding their home country. The three Israeli students invited their classmates for a dinner where they could freely discuss any issues they had about Israel or their project. While not all students attended, Yaffe said the dinner went well. 

Yaffe and his Israeli classmates persisted in their choice of project, but were denied the opportunity to present in front of the class, the only students denied the opportunity to do so. Ultimately, the Israeli students all received grades that they felt were unjustly lower than their average. 

"Harvard is the top of the academic world, you’d think it would be a very safe place to share their ideas," Yaffee told Fox News Digital.

While Yaffe felt that being an older student with life experience in the military and the business world helped protect him from what could have been a very traumatic experience, he felt compelled to fight back against what happened so a younger, more vulnerable student would never have to endure what he did. 

"I’m relatively a lucky guy, I have many anchors in my life. I have kids, a wife, a state that I love. What would happen if I didn’t have all of these anchors, if I was a 20-year-old Jewish guy growing up in America not holding the identity of Israel as a backbone, and suddenly I became very alarmed. I understood that many people that might not have the anchors that I have, this kind of incident could be very traumatic on the personal level," Yaffe said.

An independent investigator concluded that the Harvard Kennedy School created a "hostile learning environment" for the Israeli students. Harvard accepted the finding's conclusions. 

Harvard settled with the Brandeis Center on Tuesday. As part of the settlement, the university agreed to adopt the International Historical Remembrance Association’s definition of antisemitism.

"This is a very strong settlement, and a huge win. Not only will this have a major impact at Harvard University and the university’s stature, it will have a huge influence throughout American higher education," Brandeis Center Founder and Chairman Ken Marcus told Fox News Digital. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Harvard and Professor Ganz for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

Yarden Bibas is back in Israel more than 480 days after Hamas terrorists ripped him from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and dragged him to the Gaza Strip. Bibas’ return, however, is bittersweet as his wife, Shiri, and their two young children, Ariel and Kfir, remain in Gaza. Their fate is unknown, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has made it clear that there are "grave concerns about their wellbeing."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrated Yarden Bibas’ return, while saying the nation’s thoughts are with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas.

"Our thoughts are now with Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, and all of our abductees. We will continue to work to bring them home," Netanyahu wrote on X.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also commented on Yarden’s release, calling it "heartbreaking."

"Yarden's reunion with his family is simply heartbreaking. We all remain deeply concerned for the fate of our beloved Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas - as an entire nation we hold them in our hearts. The people of Israel stand by Yarden and the whole family, with great concern and in heartfelt prayer," Herzog wrote in a post on X.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also celebrated Yarden Bibas’ return, and vowed to continue demanding that his wife and two sons be released.

Early Saturday, Bibas was freed alongside American-Israeli Keith Siegel and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon in the fourth round of hostage releases as part of phase one of Israel and Hamas’ ongoing ceasefire deal.

"From the moment Hamas launched its barbaric attack on October 7th, we have remained committed to one mission—bringing every hostage home," IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani wrote on Substack. "We cannot and will not forget for a moment, the 79 hostages that remain in Hamas captivity."

AMERICAN AMONG THREE HOSTAGES FREED FROM TERROR'S GRIP AFTER NEARLY 500 DAYS

"Today, Americans celebrate the return of American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and two Israelis who were held captive by Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7, 2023.  President Trump and his Administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein also celebrated the release of Siegel, a native North Carolinian.

"Anna and I are rejoicing that at long last, Keith Siegel is free from Hamas and reunited with his family," Stein wrote. "Let us celebrate for the families who are finally reunited and continue working towards the freeing of all American hostages and a lasting peace for the region. There has been too much suffering."

The release of Bibas, Siegel and Kalderon looked different from previous hostages’ releases, which saw shocking scenes of crowds mobbing the captives as they were transferred to the Red Cross. This change is likely due to Netanyahu’s demand that mediators guarantee the hostages safe exits following the chaotic scenes.

While in captivity, Bibas was forced to make a hostage film in which he was seen breaking down as Hamas claimed his wife and children had been killed. Hamas often uses these types of videos as part of what the IDF calls "psychological terror." However, the terror organization included Shiri, Kfir and Ariel on the list of 33 hostages set to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire deal.

Upon his release, Yarden's family said that "a quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months… Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete."

As images and videos of Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7 began to spread, the Bibas family quickly became a symbol of the terror group’s cruelty. A video of Shiri Bibas holding her two red-headed children in her arms was spread across the globe. Those calling for the Bibas’ family’s release often used the color orange to symbolize the infant and toddler’s bright red hair.

At the time of their kidnapping, Kfir was 9 months old and Ariel was 4 years old. They are the only child hostages remaining in Gaza. Ariel is now 5 years old and Kfir marked his second birthday in Hamas captivity, where he has spent his two and only birthdays.

As of Saturday, 79 hostages remain in Gaza, 35 of whom have been declared dead and whose bodies remain in the hands of Hamas. Keith Siegel, who was freed on Saturday, is the first Israeli-American to be released. There are still six American citizens in Gaza, only two of whom are believed to be alive.  

Anti-Israel protesters say they spray-painted the front of a Columbia University building and "cemented" the sewage lines of another building to mark the one-year anniversary of a Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in 2024.

Three groups, in a joint post, uploaded a video to social media on Wednesday showing evidence of their defacement, while Columbia University says it is working with law enforcement to investigate the incident, which included "disturbing, personal attacks."

The video shows the front of the Henry R. Kravis Hall building at the university’s Business School in Manhattan being doused and then covered with red spray paint.

MASKED ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY DEMONSTRATE AS STUDENTS CHECK IN FOR FIRST DAY OF CLASSES

The walls of the women’s restroom at the university’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) building were also spray-painted with an image of Hind Rajab, the 6-year-old who died during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza.

The protesters also sprayed the words "Keren eat Weiner" with a drawing of feces. The message relates to Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for intelligence, who also serves as an SIPA adjunct professor.

The protesters also claimed to have clogged the toilets with cement.

"One year ago, the world failed Hind. But today and every day we owe Hind, all our martyrs, and ourselves, action," the defiant post reads. "So today we acted. Inspired by Hind, and the bravery of every Palestinian child who has faced down Israeli genocide for the last century - whether they threw a Molotov at a checkpoint, a rock at a tank, or made a call for help. So long as they resist, so must we."

The women’s restrooms on the fourth, sixth, 14th, and 15th floors of the SIPA building were "vandalized with a cement-like substance causing the toilets to clog," according to an internal email by the university, cited by the Columbia Spectator. 

COLUMBIA STUDENTS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS WHO STORMED CLASSROOM WITH ANTISEMITIC FLYERS

In the video, a gray watery substance is seen in a toilet.

"Early this morning, Columbia Business School’s main entrance was sprayed with red paint in an act of vandalism," the university said in a statement. "Vandalism of a University building in an attempt to disrupt our academic mission and intimidate or harass our community will not be tolerated. We will provide updates as they become available."

The three anti-Israel groups — the Palestine Solidarity Working Group, Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) and @nycresistswithgaza — bragged about the vandalism and wrote that they targeted the Henry R. Kravis Hall building because they say it is "one of Columbia's most recent violent gentrification projects into Harlem."

"The construction of which was conditioned on the creation of Columbia's Apartheid Global Center in ‘Tel Aviv.’ We will not allow this land-grab to go unchallenged."

They said that the SIPA building was targeted because it was the first Columbia institution to expel a student for their support for "Palestinian liberation," which is run by Keren. 

When a mob of anti-Israel protesters stormed the iconic Hamilton Hall academic building at the university in April during the campus protests, they rebranded it "Hind’s Hall," after Rajab. The group unfurled a banner with "Hind’s Hall" emblazoned on it and at the time they described her as a "Gazan Martyr."

Rajab was killed as she and her family were fleeing Gaza City when their vehicle was shelled.

The attack killed her uncle, aunt and three cousins, with Rajab and another cousin surviving. She contacted the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to ask for help while noting that they were being attacked by an Israeli tank. 

And then there was a burst of gunfire. She screamed and fell silent. But after the organization sent an ambulance, it lost contact with the crew.

Twelve days later, the ambulance was discovered, blackened and destroyed. The two medics were dead and Rajab. Her cousin also died. 

The Palestinian Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of targeting the ambulance as it pulled up near the family’s vehicle. The organization said it had coordinated the journey with Israeli forces as in the past.

Wednesday's incident came on the same day President Donald Trump ordered a law enforcement crackdown on antisemitism on college campuses, including removing pro-Hamas activists with student visas from the country,

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The Israeli government has ordered the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to cease its operations in the country, effective today, Jan. 30, 2025. This decision follows years of mounting accusations against the agency, including claims of involvement with the terrorist group Hamas. 

The move marks the culmination of a long-standing effort by Israel to distance itself from the organization, which it accuses of undermining its national security.

The Israeli legislation, passed in October 2024, explicitly bans UNRWA from operating within Israel’s sovereign territory. The law also prohibits any communication or collaboration between Israeli officials and UNRWA representatives. Under the new rules, all UNRWA facilities in Jerusalem, including those in Maalot Dafna and Kafr Aqab, must be evacuated. The legislation also addresses accusations that UNRWA has allowed Hamas to infiltrate its ranks.

ISRAEL TELLS UN IT'S SHUTTING DOWN ALL UNRWA OPERATIONS IN JERUSALEM: 'ACUTE SECURITY RISKS'

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon defended the decision at the U.N. on Tuesday, stating, "It is intolerable for any sovereign state to facilitate the operations of an agency that threatens its national security."

Danon said that the move was not politically motivated but was instead driven by years of alleged failures by UNRWA, including claims of complicity in terrorism. "This decision reflects the reality that UNRWA has miserably failed in its mandate, and it has failed the people who were supposed to benefit from its services," Danon asserted.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has vehemently opposed Israel’s actions, calling the ban "disastrous." 

Addressing the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday, Lazzarini claimed that the full implementation of the Israeli legislation would cripple humanitarian efforts in Gaza and the West Bank. "Since October 2023, we have delivered two-thirds of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio," Lazzarini said. "We conduct around 17,000 medical consultations every day."

"Nine days ago, the long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began," Lazzarini continued. "We are heartened by the return of Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians to their families. We are encouraged by marked improvements in the flow of humanitarian aid and operating conditions. We hope that the ceasefire will hold and that the tremendous suffering in Gaza will subside. UNRWA is the largest UN presence in Gaza, with 13,000 personnel and 300 premises. The relentless assault on UNRWA is harming the lives and future of Palestinians," Lazzarini warned.

ISRAELI PARLIAMENT BANS UNRWA OVER TERRORISM TIES, FACES INTERNATIONAL BACKLASH

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Wednesday, "Humanitarian aid doesn’t equal UNRWA, and UNRWA doesn’t equal humanitarian aid. UNRWA equals an organization infested with Hamas terror activity. This is why, beginning today, Israel will have no contact with UNRWA. Israel remains committed to facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza in accordance with international law and the framework for the hostage release. In fact, Israel is facilitating the entry of even more humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza than agreed in the hostage release framework. There are multiple alternative organizations to UNRWA—including U.N. agencies, international NGOs, and foreign countries—that are already operating to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza, and their role will only increase."

Israeli Member of Parliament Yulia Malinovsky, one of the authors of the legislation, expressed her support for the decision. 

"I watched the hypocrisy of many countries in the U.N. Security Council this week. Their representatives spoke about how UNRWA is an indispensable part of Gaza's reconstruction and how it cannot operate without it. Well, no, UNRWA only brings suffering to the people of Gaza, and just like Hamas, it has brought destruction to Gaza," she told Fox News Digital. 

"This organization is a terrorist organization that has killed, raped, and kidnapped innocent civilians," she said, referring to accusations that UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 massacre, and held hostages in their homes.

The move follows the Trump administration’s decision to look into halting some foreign aid to various groups. Congress paused funding to UNRWA last year following allegations that UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct 7. massacre.  

The U.N. and international community now face the challenge of filling the void left by the agency’s departure, while Israel has made it clear that it will not back down in its fight against what it perceives as terrorism masquerading as aid but made clear it would be willing to work with other U.N. agencies.

Danon reiterated on Tuesday that, "Israel remains committed to its obligations under international law and we reaffirm our readiness to cooperate with other U.N. agencies that are not tainted by terror."

Malinovsky, stated that international pressure to reverse Israel’s decision was unnecessary. "We are an independent and sovereign state, and we will not compromise on our national defense and interests. Today, UNRWA will end its operations in Israel, and all direct or indirect contact with it will cease."

Hamas began a third round of freeing hostages in Gaza Thursday as part of an ongoing ceasefire agreement with Israel. 

Hamas handed female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, to the Red Cross at a ceremony in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. She was later transferred to the Israel Defense Forces. 

"The Government of Israel embraces IDF soldier Agam Berger," read a post on the official X account of the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. "Her family has been updated by the responsible authorities that she is with our forces. The Government, together with all of the security officials, will accompany her and her family." 

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE DETAILS HORRORS OF CAPTIVITY, CREDITS KIDNAPPED IDF SOLDIER WITH SAVING HER LIFE

"Thank God we have reached this moment, and our hero Agam has returned to us after 482 days in enemy hands. Our daughter is strong, faithful, and brave," Berger's family said in a statement. "We want to thank the security forces and all the people of Israel for their support and prayers. "Now Agam and our family can begin the healing process, but the recovery will not be complete until all the hostages return home." 

Another ceremony was planned in the southern city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Both were attended by hundreds of people, including masked militants and onlookers.

YARDEN GONEN: THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP, FOR RESCUING MY SISTER FROM HAMAS

Hamas has agreed to handover three Israelis and five Thai captives on Thursday. In exchange, Israel was expected to release 110 Palestinian prisoners. 

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, whose Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel sparked the fighting. It has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released.

In Israel, people cheered, clapped and whistled at a square in Tel Aviv where supporters of the hostages watched Berger's handover on big screens next to a large clock that's counted the days the hostages have been in captivity. Some held signs saying: "Agam we're waiting for you at home."

Berger was among five young, female soldiers abducted in the Oct. 7 attack. The other four were released on Saturday. The other two Israelis set to be released Thursday are Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man.

FORMER HAMAS HOSTAGE NAAMA LEVY BREAKS SILENCE IN FIRST MESSAGE SINCE HER RELEASE

There was no official confirmation of the identities of the Thai nationals who will be released.

A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas' attack. Twenty-three Thais were among more than 100 hostages released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. Israel says eight Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead.

STATE DEPT PULLS MILLIONS IN FUNDING FOR ‘CONDOMS IN GAZA,’ AS TRUMP ADMIN LOOKS TO TRIM SPENDING

Of the people set to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theater director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later, is also among those set to be released.

Israel said Yehoud was supposed to have been freed Saturday and delayed the opening of crossings to northern Gaza when she was not.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire after a year of tough negotiations, resolved the dispute with an agreement that Yehoud would be released Thursday. Another three hostages, all men, are set to be freed Saturday along with dozens more Palestinian prisoners.

On Monday, Israel began allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, the most heavily destroyed part of the territory, and hundreds of thousands streamed back. Many found only mounds of rubble where their homes had been.

WASHINGTON POST CITES PRO-PALESTINIAN GROUP US GOVERNMENT DECLARED A ‘SHAM CHARITY’ FOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

In the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is set to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, older adults and sick or wounded men, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the hostages to be released in this phase are dead.

Palestinians have cheered the release of the prisoners, who they widely see as heroes who have sacrificed for the cause of ending Israel's decades-long occupation of lands they want for a future state.

Israeli forces have meanwhile pulled back from most of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to what remains of their homes and humanitarian groups to surge assistance.

The deal calls for Israel and Hamas to negotiate a second phase in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages and the ceasefire would continue indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the truce. Hamas says it won't release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Israel's ensuing air and ground war after Oct. 7, 2023 has been among the deadliest and most destructive in decades. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The Israeli military says it killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence, and that it went to great lengths to try to spare civilians. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because its fighters operate in dense residential neighborhoods and put military infrastructure near homes, schools and mosques.

The Israeli offensive has transformed entire neighborhoods into mounds of gray rubble, and it's unclear how or when anything will be rebuilt. Around 90% of Gaza's population has been displaced, often multiple times, with hundreds of thousands of people living in squalid tent camps or shuttered schools.

An Israeli restaurant in Brooklyn was vandalized over the weekend in what New York City Mayor Eric Adams is calling a "despicable act of antisemitism." 

The New York City Police Department told Fox News Digital that its Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating after the phrases "Israel steals culture" and "Genocide cuisine" were found painted on the exterior of Miriam early yesterday morning. 

"This was a despicable act of antisemitism at Miriam, a beloved Israeli restaurant in Park Slope," Adams wrote on X, sharing images of the restaurant’s front door covered in red paint. 

"As mayor of the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, I am particularly heartbroken by this evil act. Make no mistake, the NYPD is investigating and will find those responsible," he added. 

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: A TOWN ONCE INHABITED BY NAZIS RECONCILES WITH THE PAST 

The restaurant said it was "sadly vandalized with messages of hate," but "we refuse to let this darken our spirit." 

"Miriam stands for inclusivity and unity and bringing people together through the shared love of delicious food and warm hospitality. We celebrate the diverse flavors of the Mediterranean, where cultures intertwine and stories are shared," it wrote on Instagram. "We will continue to be a safe place where everyone feels welcome. Join us in spreading love, not hate." 

A second Miriam location in Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighborhood was vandalized in 2022, according to the New York Post. 

Owner Rafi Hasid decided to open the Brooklyn location on Sunday with the messages still painted on the glass, the newspaper reported. Three masked individuals reportedly were seen targeting the property around 3 a.m. Sunday. 

"I want the people to see it. I don’t want to wash it right away. People should see... that things like that happen," Hasid told the Post. 

HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR RECOUNTS HOW MOTHER SAVED HER LIFE, REVEALS MESSAGE TO UN 

The NYPD told Fox News Digital that as of Monday morning, "there are no arrests, and the investigation is being handled by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force." 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Ritchie Torres, both Democrats from New York, posted messages of support for Miriam in the wake of the incident. 

"I visited Miriam this evening, the Brooklyn restaurant that experienced despicable vandalism last night. I met with the owner, the workers, and their patrons," Schumer wrote on X. "I told them I stood with them, and that vandalizing a restaurant because the owner was Jewish was outright antisemitism. Period. Hate has no place in New York." 

"Jew-hatred will find no refuge in the City of New York," Torres added. "A hate crime against the Jewish community is a hate crime against all of us." 

Universities and colleges across the US have experienced a rise in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity since Hamas’ brutal attacks on Oct. 7. Anti-Israel agitators have staged massive protests, disrupted courses and events, and set up encampments. However, it's not just the students who are involved, it's also the faculty.

Columbia Business School associate professor Shai Davidai is calling on President Donald Trump to issue an executive order to stop institutions that hire professors who support US-designated terror organizations from receiving federal funds.

In a repost from the account Documenting Jew Hatred on Campus at ColumbiaU, Davidai urged Trump to act.

"I think it’s time for the president to sign a very simple executive order: no federal funds to private institutions that hire professors who support U.S.-designated terrorist organizations," Davidai wrote.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEMPORARILY BANS PRO-ISRAEL PROFESSOR FROM CAMPUS

Davidai believes Columbia is in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and "should not receive federal funding" based on the hiring and elevating of terror group-supporting faculty.

"For the past 15 months, we have seen open support for the annihilation of the State of Israel," Davidai told Fox News Digital. "Not just criticism of the government of Israel, but the existence of Israel and Israelis on university campus both by students but also by professors."

However, Davidai emphasized that this is not just an Israeli issue, it’s an American issue. He notes that the agitators often echo the rhetoric of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, seeing Israel as "little Satan" and America as "big Satan."  

"This is anti-Americanism. They hate America, and they say so, it’s not me putting words in their mouths."

Columbia University became a hotbed of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity following the Oct. 7 attacks, even drawing national attention as then-President Minouche Shafik was grilled by lawmakers about the situation. Despite a change in university leadership, anti-Israel agitators are still active on campus.

Last week, anti-Israel agitators disrupted a course called the Modern History of Israel, which was being taught by Avi Shilon, a visiting professor from Israel’s Tel-Hai Academic College. Tel-Hai has faced the threat of Hezbollah attacks due to its location near Israel's northern border.

"Just like Hezbollah would not let him teach his class in Israel, the Hezbollah supporters here in New York City just barged into his class and would not let him teach," Davidai said.

COLUMBIA STUDENTS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS WHO STORMED CLASSROOM WITH ANTISEMITIC FLYERS

Columbia did not respond to a request for comment. However, after the incident, interim President Katrina Armstrong issued a statement.

"Today a History of Modern Israel class was disrupted by protesters who handed out fliers. We strongly condemn this disruption, as well as the fliers that included violent imagery that is unacceptable on our campus and in our community. No group of students has a right to disrupt another group of students in a Columbia classroom. Disrupting academic activities constitutes a violation of the Rules of University conduct and the nature of the disruption may constitute violations of other University policies," the statement reads.

"We will move quickly to investigate and address this act. We want to be absolutely clear that any act of antisemitism, or other form of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has formally notified U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Israel’s demand for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate its premises by January 30, 2025. 

The directive follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset, terminating Israel’s agreements with UNRWA and citing national security concerns.

In a letter addressed to Guterres, Danon outlined the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing "the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations." He also accused the agency of failing to address Israel’s long-standing concerns and of compromising its "fundamental obligation to impartiality and neutrality beyond repair."

STEFANIK PLANS TO PUSH TRUMP'S 'AMERICA FIRST' AGENDA AT UN, MAKE SURE IT 'SERVES THE INTERESTS' OF US PEOPLE

President Donald Trump has also been a vocal critic of UNRWA, withholding funding for it during his first term as president. The United States had previously been UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing more than $350 million annually. In March, Congress agreed to cut funding to the controversial agency for a year. 

A spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary-General told Fox News Digital, "The Secretary-General has been clear in the need to maintain support for UNRWA, which is the backbone of U.N. operations in the occupied Palestinian Territory."

Danon's letter stated that "months of good-faith engagement" with the United Nations had failed to produce results, accusing UNRWA of abusing its immunity to bypass local laws and regulations. He underscored Israel’s legal position, asserting that "no state is required to assist and cooperate with an entity that undermines its national security."

Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital said Israel's move is a long time coming. "UNRWA is a cash cow for the United Nations, and also for Palestinian so-called refugees who—in marked contrast to refugees everywhere else in the world—supposedly inherit their refugee status as long as the Jews are still there. UNRWA schools have taught generations of Palestinians to hate the Jews next door and to spend their lives seeking to terminate Israel instead of cohabiting in peace."

NEW REPORTS CLAIM UNRWA WORKS WITH TERRORISTS, TEACHES HATE AS AGENCY HITS BACK AT CRITICS

The legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset includes two complementary bills that sever all ties between Israel and UNRWA, including the termination of diplomatic visas and services provided to the agency. The bills received overwhelming support from both coalition and opposition members of the Knesset.

Critics of the legislation, including the Biden administration, have warned that it could create a humanitarian crisis for the millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and basic services. 

During a U.N. press briefing on Friday, a spokesperson responded to questions regarding the situation, stating, "We are in touch, but we have continued to emphasize the indispensability of UNRWA." When asked about contingency plans should the Israeli legislation be implemented, the spokesperson said, "We will see what the future brings. Obviously, we are doing our utmost and UNRWA will do its utmost to continue to provide aid to the people under our mandate, as much as we can."

Before the Israeli letter was made public, an UNRWA spokeswoman had previously told Fox News Digital they didn't have a plan in place for ongoing operations once the ban starts. 

The spokesperson claimed that, "UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff."

In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre. He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

Danon called on the United Nations to "put an end to the unprecedented infiltration and abuse of a U.N. organ by terrorist organizations" to restore the U.N.’s credibility.

The families of Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag have been informed that that their daughters, held in Gaza for 475 days, are slated to be freed on Saturday in the second round of hostage releases. 

Hamas revealed the names of the four women, all of whom are members of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Friday, though the media was asked to wait until their families had been informed before releasing their identities. 

While the exchange of another four hostages under the deal is a positive step forward in the continued ceasefire, it also could be in direct violation of the agreement as female civilians were supposed to be released ahead of all female soldiers, followed by the elderly and wounded men. 

SURVIVOR OF NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL HAMAS TERROR ATTACK WINS SLOT TO REPRESENT ISRAEL AT EUROVISION

Of the 30 remaining people Hamas has agreed to release in the first phase of the ceasefire following the release of three women last week, two others were female civilians, including Arbel Yehud and Shiri Bibas, along with her two sons Kfir, who was just 9 months old when he was abducted with his 4-year-old brother Ariel. 

Israel had instructed Hamas to release Yehud this week amid concerns that her captivity may be prolonged as she is believed to be held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, not Hamas.

The world has also been waiting for news of the Bibas family. 

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri, Kfir and Ariel were killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has said it has no intelligence to support these claims. 

Shiri and her sons have therefore never been assessed by Israeli officials to be deceased, and many have held out hope they will be reunited with Yaren Bibas, husband to Shiri and father to the two boys, who was separated from his family following their abduction on Oct. 7, 2023. 

He is also slated to be released within the first phase of the ceasefire. 

DR. AYELET LEVY SHAHAR: A MOTHER'S MESSAGE TO AMERICA: DON'T FORGET THE HOSTAGES

Israeli officials reportedly told the families of the four women that though their daughters have been listed by Hamas for release tomorrow, this could still change. 

Officials also apparently spoke with the family of a fifth female IDF soldier still held by Hamas, Agam Berger, as well as Yehud’s family, though it is unclear what was discussed in either conversation. 

The four female soldiers set for release on Saturday were believed to have been, at least at one time, held all together along with Berger. 

The state of the young women has long remained unknown and concerns of sexual violence against the female Israeli soldiers has remained a persistent issue since their brutal capture from the Nahal Oz post in October 2023. 

Video footage on the day of the attack showed the women lined up, bloodied and injured as the Hamas terrorists yelled at them. 

The women were then loaded into a truck as Hamas terrorists fired guns into the air, and then driven into Gaza.

In exchange for their freedom, Israel has agreed to release a reported 50 Palestinian security prisoners per female soldier, including those facing life sentences for terrorism. 

If President Donald Trump’s personnel moves are any tell, he may come out of the gate toward Iran with a tone that is more diplomatic than combative. 

And Trump on Thursday evening suggested he was open to a nuclear deal with Iran.

Asked if he would support Israel striking Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump told reporters, "We'll have to see. I'm going to be meeting with various people over the next couple of days. We'll see, but hopefully that could be worked out without having to worry about it."

"Iran hopefully will make a deal. I mean, they don't make a deal, I guess that's OK, too."

Iran, at least, is hoping for just that. The Tehran Times, a regime-linked English language newspaper, questioned in a recent article whether the firing of Brian Hook, the architect of the "maximum pressure" policy on Iran during Trump’s first term, could "signal a change in [Trump’s] Iran policy."

In November, news outlets reported that Hook was running the transition at the State Department. But Hook was relieved from the transition team shortly after in December, sources familiar with the move confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

UN URGES DIPLOMACY AS IRAN HITS NUCLEAR 'GAS PEDAL,' CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR TELLS TRUMP ‘DO NOT APPEASE’

This week, Trump knocked Hook back a step further by posting on social media that he’d be removed from his position at a U.S. government-owned think tank.

"Brian Hook from the Wilson Center for Scholars... YOU'RE FIRED!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

And after taking office, Trump removed the government-sponsored security details of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton told CNN his detail was also pulled, as was Hook’s.

"You can't have [protection] for the rest of your life. Do you want to have a large deal of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? I mean, there's risks to everything," Trump said.

Trump recently put his Middle East envoy, Steven Witkoff, in charge of addressing U.S. concerns about Iran, according to a Financial Times report.

Witkoff most recently helped seal negotiations on a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, suggesting he may test Iran’s willingness to engage at the negotiating table on nuclear issues before ramping up pressure, sources told the Financial Times. 

Experts warn that Iran is enriching hundreds of pounds of uranium to the 60% purity threshold, shy of the 90% purity levels needed to develop a nuclear bomb.

At the same time, the president hired Michael Dimino as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, a foreign policy expert who has said the Middle East doesn’t "really matter" to U.S. interests any longer. 

IRAN'S WEAKENED POSITION COULD LEAD IT TO PURSUE NUCLEAR WEAPON, BIDEN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER WARNS

Dimino is cut from the same cloth as undersecretary of defense for policy Elbridge Colby, who has argued for the U.S. to focus military resources on countering China and devote fewer resources to other regions. 

Dimino, a former expert at the Koch-funded restraint advocacy think tank Defense Priorities, has strongly advocated for pulling U.S. resources out of the Middle East.

"The core question is: Does the Middle East still matter?" Dimino said during a panel last February. "The answer is: not really, not really for U.S. interests. What I would say is that vital or existential U.S. interests in the Middle East are best characterized as minimal to non-existent."

"We are really there to counter Iran and that is really at the behest of the Israelis and Saudis," he added.

"Iranian power remains both exaggerated and misunderstood. Its economy continues to underperform, and its conventional military is antiquated and untested. Tehran simply doesn’t have the financial capital or hard power capabilities to dominate the Middle East or directly threaten core U.S. interests," he wrote in a 2023 article.

Dimino has also argued the U.S. does not need to focus resources on an offensive campaign against the Houthis amid attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea. 

"Put simply, there are no existential or vital U.S. national interests at stake in Yemen and very little is at stake for the U.S. economically in the Red Sea."

Instead, he argued in a 2023 op-ed that working to increase aid into Gaza would rid the Houthis of their stated reason for their attacks in the Red Sea, which they’ve said are a means of fighting on behalf of Gaza.

"Working to increase aid shipments to Gaza would not just help to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there but would deprive the Houthis of their claimed justification for attacks in the Red Sea and provide the group with an off-ramp for de-escalation that would also serve to prevent indefinite U.S. participation in a broader regional war."

Others in Trump's foreign policy orbit historically have struck a more hawkish tone toward Iran, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Israel Ambassador Mike Huckabee. 

Rubio has already said he will work to bring back the snapback sanctions that were suspended in the 2015 Iran deal, as indicated by written responses he provided to Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. 

"A policy of maximum pressure must be reinstated, and it must be reinstated with the help of the rest of the globe, and that includes standing with the Iranian people and their aspirations for democracy," Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy to Russia and Ukraine, recently said. 

The Dimino hiring – along with other recent personnel moves – has caused rumblings from prominent Iran hawks. 

Mark Levin, a radio host who has the ear of Trump, has posted on X multiple times in opposition to Dimino: "How’d this creep get a top DoD position?" he asked in one post. 

"While Dimino and Witkoff are very different issues, Witkoff is Trump’s best friend, [it] seems difficult to detangle, very concerning," said one Iran expert. "Dimino is a mystery and does not align with Hegseth or Trump values on Iran or Israel."

"There is an ongoing coordinated effort by Iran’s regime and its lobby network in the West to cause divisions in President Trump’s administration over policy towards Tehran," Kasra Aarabi, director of research on Iran's Revolutionary Guard at the group United Against a Nuclear Iran, told Fox News Digital. 

"Having spent the past four years trying – and failing – to assassinate President Trump, the ayatollah has now instructed his propagandists to cause fissures between President Trump and his advisors so as to weaken the new administration’s policy towards [the] Islamist regime."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Aarabi warned, "In the past 48 hours, Ayatollah Khamenei-run entities in Iran’s regime – such as the "Islamic Propaganda Organization" – have been celebrating certain appointments across the broader administration in the same way as they praised some of former president Biden’s appointments."

TEL AVIV - The Trump administration will do more than its predecessor to combat the tidal wave of Jew-hatred unleashed by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli told Fox News Digital. 

Chikli noted that, when confirmed, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, former Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., will enter into one of the epicenters of the global assault on the Jewish people and their state.

"We saw Stefanik at the hearing on campus antisemitism in Congress," he said, noting that once confirmed as a senior member of the Trump administration she will be "stationed in one of the most hostile arenas: the U.N." Chikli added that she's "A warrior against antisemitism, we are very happy with her appointment."

STEFANIK TOUTS GRILLING COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS IN SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARING

In December 2023, Stefanik was widely praised during a congressional hearing on the explosion of antisemitism at American universities. She asked the presidents of Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology if calling for genocide against Jews violated their codes of conduct.

A year later, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled the U.S. House of Representatives Staff Report on Antisemitism, compiled by six congressional committees.

Chikli told Fox News Digital four actionable measures to curb the phenomenon: "Enforcing strict compliance with Title VI to prohibit discrimination and address antisemitism on campus; withholding federal funding to institutions that boycott Israel or tolerate antisemitic behavior; requiring universities to disclose foreign contributions and tightening government oversight; and revoking funding and tax exemptions for groups and universities that propagate antisemitism or support terror-related activities."

"This report from the speaker of the House shows that this [Trump] administration is highly committed to countering antisemitism," Chikli said.

In her new role, Stefanik has also promised to fight Jew-hatred at Turtle Bay, which she described as a "den of antisemitism."

TRUMP'S UN AMBASSADOR PICK ELISE STEFANIK COULD SAVE TAXPAYERS MILLIONS IF TAPS MUSK-RAMASWAMY 'DOGE'

"Even before the barbaric terrorist attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, the U.N. has continuously betrayed Israel and betrayed America, acting as an apologist for Iran and their terrorist proxies," Stefanik said in November after her nomination.

During her Senate confirmation on Tuesday, she said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a conduit for international aid to the Palestinians, should be "at the bottom of the list" of organizations to receive American funding.

In January 2024, then-President Joe Biden halted funding to UNRWA after Israel released evidence that the agency's staff participated in the Oct. 7 massacre. 

According to Chikli, UNRWA effectively serves as Hamas's educational system, which in turn makes it the engine fueling antisemitism throughout Gaza and Palestinian-administered territories in the West Bank, known by Israelis as Judea and Samaria.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to raise a terrorist. And if you put a child in UNRWA schools, you can be sure that he will graduate with the mindset of a terrorist," Chikli told Fox News Digital.

NEW REPORTS CLAIM UNRWA WORKS WITH TERRORISTS, TEACHES HATE AS AGENCY HITS BACK AT CRITICS

"[Palestinian children] will learn to admire suicide bombers, Hamas Nukhba terrorists who butchered innocent people. They go to schools named after terrorists, with textbooks that include math problems about how many Israeli soldiers were attacked or how many stones were thrown at them," he continued.

"That is why it is critical to make sure UNRWA is shut down," he added. 

In October, the Israeli parliament banned UNRWA from operating in the Jewish state. The law takes effect on Jan. 30.

A spokesperson for Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Fox News Digital that "the government and the international community has had 90 days to find alternatives to UNRWA."

He declined to say whether Lapid was in contact with the Trump administration to discuss "day after" plans once UNRWA ceases operations. 

In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of at least 19 UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre, saying that "the evidence – if authenticated and corroborated – could indicate that the UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the attacks."

He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.

UNRWA Director of Communications Juliette Touma told Fox News Digital that "we are committed to staying and delivering [aid] in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, until we cannot."

"UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff," she said. 

Asked whether the organization has put together a plan for ongoing operations once the Israeli ban kicks in, she said, "We have not."

Ayelet Samerano’s son, Yonatan, was kidnapped by a terrorist who also reportedly worked for UNRWA on Oct. 7, 2023. A video of the terrorist dragging Yonatan's lifeless body into a car went viral. 

"I will not let it go. I am pressuring the government very hard for the law, which passed in the Knesset, to be implemented," Samerano told Fox News Digital. "I didn’t know UNRWA before, but then I investigated and found many documents that prove it's involved in terror. That they were involved in taking hostages on Oct. 7 and holding kidnapped Israelis in their homes and buildings means there is no reason for this organization to continue to exist."

"We must ensure that UNRWA will be replaced by another organization that will help the Gazans and make sure terror does not infiltrate them," she continued. "People outside of Gaza and interested in real peace must teach a new curriculum that will create opportunities for Gazans, not terror."

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon told Fox News Digital that Stefanik is "a staunch ally of Israel and of the Jewish people."

"She leads with moral clarity and a strong commitment to justice and truth," he said. "I am looking forward to working with her at the U.N., where the demonization and distortions about Israel are out of control."

The three Israeli hostages freed in the first phase of the cease-fire deal with Hamas were all spotted carrying paper "gift bags" with the terror organization’s logo. The bags reportedly contained a map of Gaza, photos of the women from their time in captivity, and certificates reading "release decision," according to Hebrew-language media.

Emily Damari, Romi Goren and Doron Steinbrecher, all of whom were kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly Oct. 7 attacks, returned to Israel on Sunday as part of a cease-fire deal. All three women have been reunited with their families after spending over 15 months in captivity.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

A representative for Goren’s family says her bag also contained a necklace, CNN reported, adding that the Israel Security Agency confiscated the items Hamas gave the women.

"I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated. I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality," Mandy Damari, mother of Emily Damari, said in a statement released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum on X. "In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked Netanyahu for securing the release of Damari, who is also a British citizen.

ISRAELI INTEL INDICATES HAMAS HELD HOSTAGES AT NEW GAZA HOSPITAL

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum also released a statement by Steinbrecher’s family in which they thanked the people of Israel and President Donald Trump for his support.

"A special thank you to the people of Israel for their warm embrace, unwavering support, and the strength they gave us during our darkest moments. We also extend our gratitude to President Trump for his significant involvement and support, which meant so much to us."

A Hamas official confirmed that four of the seven remaining Israeli female hostages will be released on Saturday, Jan. 25, according to reports.

The cease-fire and hostage deal involves Hamas gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza over the next six weeks in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza.

As part of the deal, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Damari, Goren and Steinbrecher. Crowds of Palestinians in the West Bank cheered and some reportedly waved Hamas flags in celebration of the detainees’ return.

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) leadership announced a shakeup as Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said he handed in his resignation and requested to leave his role later this year.

"I informed the Minister of Defense today (Tuesday) that by virtue of my recognition of my responsibility for the IDF's failure on October 7th, and at a time when the IDF has significant achievements and is in the process of implementing the agreement to release our hostages, I have requested to leave my role on March 6th, 2025," Halevi said in a statement released by the IDF.

"Until then, I will complete the IDF’s inquiries into the events of October 7th and strengthen the IDF's readiness for security challenges."

In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said "I would like to express my appreciation to the Chief of Staff and thank him for his contribution to the IDF throughout his years of service as a fighter and as a commander, and for his part in the great achievements of the IDF in the difficult war that was forced upon us."

Netanyahu also commended Halevi on his years of service and credited him for some of the country’s "great achievements."

TEL AVIV, Israel - With the first three Israeli hostages freed in the cease-fire for hostages deal, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned that several terrorists captured by Israeli forces last month confessed that Israeli captives were held at different times at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently completed a major raid on the hospital, arresting some 240 terrorists. The director of the hospital, Hussam Abu Safiya, the Israelis claim, had gathered intelligence showing that he not only allowed Hamas to infiltrate the hospital, but actively collaborated with the terror group.

Another captured terrorist, Anas Muhammad Faiz al-Sharif, who worked at the hospital as a cleaning supervisor and joined the Nukhba forces of Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades in 2021, told Israeli interrogators that the northern Gaza facility was viewed as "a safe haven for them because the [Israeli] military cannot directly target it."

He revealed that inside the hospital, terrorists distributed grenades and mortars, along with equipment for ambushing IDF troops and tanks.

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

Fox News Digital asked a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman if, based on the IDF's new allegations about holding hostages at Adwan Hospital, they would condemn Hamas' use of hospitals for military use. 

In a statement, the spokesman said, "The International Humanitarian Law is very clear. Healthcare workers and healthcare facilities are off limits. They must not be attacked. They must not be used for military purposes. They must be protected at all times. The point is both to protect civilians, as well as to protect the health systems and infrastructure that communities depend on for life-giving care and continuity of services. 

"Failure to protect and respect healthcare devastates twice. First, in the initial harm, and then again for the months or years it takes to rebuild the health systems."

The statement concluded without condemning or singling out Hamas. "The protection of healthcare also includes the prohibition against combatants using health facilities for military purposes. IHL is also clear that even if healthcare facilities are being used for military purposes, there are stringent conditions which apply to taking action against them, including a duty to warn and to wait after warning and even then, disproportionate attacks are strictly prohibited."

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Trump National Security Council official, claimed, "Several international organizations operating in Gaza likely had direct knowledge of Hamas using hospitals as terror headquarters and only publicly protested Israel’s attempt to clear the terrorists. The Red Cross, UNRWA, World Health Organization - they were all collaborators."

Goldberg offered advice for President Trump's pick for U.N. ambassador, Elise Stefanik, who goes before the Senate on Tuesday. "Stefanik would be fully justified in launching investigations into each of those agencies - demanding documents and personnel interviews. And if they don’t comply, they can deal with the consequences."

One of Trump's first acts on Monday was to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO. 

During the monthslong IDF operation in northern Gaza, more than 700 terrorists were detained, including Hamas commanders, some of whom participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel. More than a dozen of those captured were involved in kidnapping or holding Israeli hostages in Gaza.

During the operation, the IDF located and destroyed thousands of weapons, including RPGs stashed within the hospital itself. The aim of the campaign was to completely defeat Hamas's Northern Brigade and remove the terror group's presence from within the civilian population. IDF troops conducted raids ranging from a few hours up to a full day. During the longer ones, they entered the hospital and searched for weapons and terrorists.

Former Shin Bet agent Gonen Ben Itzhak, who was the handler of former Hamas informant Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a Hamas founder, told Fox News Digital that, "Using visual intelligence, it’s easy to see when Hamas brings guns and ammunition into the hospital … and even with one human source, you can get intel on what is happening inside. From a signal point of view, the terrorists use phones and walkie-talkies, which can be intercepted."

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SILENT OVER HAMAS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITAL AS TERROR HQ 

Almost no fighting took place inside the hospital, from which some 950 people were eventually evacuated, all before the IDF's final raid. Since then, the Israeli military has facilitated and secured the transfer of the hospital's operations to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, at the request of the Palestinians.

Even as the United Nations and the international community condemned Jerusalem for its anti-terrorism campaign at Kamal Adwan, a former Palestinian Authority official, told Fox News Digital that Hamas’ use of hospitals was "immoral" and known to endanger patients and health workers.

Adnan al-Damiri recently went viral on social media after the Israel-based Palestinian Media Watch organization flagged his Facebook post showing that Hamas had summoned a Gazan reporter for questioning to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Strip.

"I made this post to show Palestinians that Hamas is doing everything against the people of Gaza, including in hospitals. Hamas claims its struggle is against the [Israeli] occupation, but the fact is they use our people," al-Damiri said. He noted that the document posted to social media was sent to him by a friend of the Gazan who was summoned for interrogation.

"I know that it’s a real document. I am not afraid of Hamas," he added.

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

In December 2023, Ahmed Kahlout, then-director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, told his Israeli interrogators that he and other staff were Hamas operatives. Kahlout described how Hamas used ambulances to hide operatives, transport terrorist squads and deliver a kidnapped IDF soldier.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza, told Fox News Digital that his "resistance movement understands very well the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and its obligations, and understands very well the needs of our people for civil services and the importance of protecting them.

"I can confidently say that Hamas hasn't used any hospital as a military base or a shelter for fighters," he continued. "Regarding all the aggressions against hospitals in the Gaza Strip, Israel wasn’t able in any case to prove or to give serious or neutral evidence for its claims," he said. 

"We call for the immediate release of Dr. Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who was kidnapped by Israeli forces, with dozens of other medics. Israel is fully responsible and accountable for their lives. Dr. Safiya isn't a Hamas member," added Naim.

A month after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, the IDF already began publishing evidence of Hamas's use of hospitals, in particular, for terror purposes. In one recording from November 2023, a Gaza health official can be heard confirming that Hamas had stored more than half a million liters (over 132,000 gallons) of fuel under Shifa Hospital, the Strip’s largest medical center.

Hamas was accused of systematically turning Shifa into a major command center and even storing weapons in the MRI building. On Nov. 19, 2023, the IDF released surveillance footage of armed terrorists bringing hostages into Shifa. The IDF discovered the remains of two Israeli hostages, Noa Marciano and Yehudit Weiss, in the vicinity of Shifa last year.

The Israel Defense Forces, in coordination with the Health Ministry, additional government ministries and security authorities, completed final preparations Saturday to receive the first of the hostages being released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip Sunday. 

The preparations included home-like conditions inside trailers for the hostages to sleep before they head to hospitals to be looked over and all the comforts of home, including baskets of toiletries and fresh clothes. 

Inside the trailers, the hostages will have couches and potted plants for a bit of décor. Outside, they can sit on outdoor patio furniture accented with colorful oversize pillows. 

The receiving locations also have necessary medical provisions. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

From there, the hostages will be taken to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families. 

The IDF said it requests "patience and sensitivity" from the public as the hostages return. 

"We ask everyone to respect the privacy of the hostages and their families," the IDF said. "The public is requested only to refer to official updates and announcements and refrain from sharing unverified information." 

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT'

The hostages have been held by Hamas for nearly 500 days since Hamas' unprovoked attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023. 

Three hostages are expected to be released first on Sunday after a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas Wednesday. 

The first hostages released are expected to be female. 

In all, 33 hostages will be released, including two Americans. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be returned by the Israelis. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday Israel wouldn't move forward with the outline of the deal until it receives a list of the hostages to be released. That was agreed upon after the names didn't arrive from Qatar as expected Saturday. 

"Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement," he said. "The sole responsibility is on Hamas.

"In the … war, we make it clear to our enemies — we make it clear to the whole world — that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us.

"To date, we have brought home 157 of our abductees, of which 117 are alive. In the agreement now approved, we will bring home 33 more of our brothers and sisters, most of them alive." 

He also credited both President Biden and President-elect Trump with helping reach a cease-fire deal. 

"As soon as he was elected, President Trump joined the mission of freeing the hostages," Netanyahu said. "He talked to me on Wednesday night. He welcomed the agreement, and he rightly emphasized that the first step of the agreement is a temporary cease-fire. That's what he said, "temporary cease-fire.’"

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Netanyahu said Biden and Trump "gave full backing to Israel's right to return to fighting if Israel comes to the conclusion that negotiations on Phase B are futile."

Netanyahu also said he appreciated Trump's decision to "remove all remaining restrictions on the supply of essential weapons and armaments to the State of Israel."

Radio host Charlamagne tha God and Comedian Andrew Schulz pushed back on a number of Democratic narratives on their podcast "Brilliant Idiots" on Saturday.

Charlamagne and Schulz opened the show with a debate on who deserved credit for securing the cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel, President-elect Donald Trump or President Joe Biden. The radio host challenged an assertion made by his friend, Chris Morrow, that Biden was the person responsible for securing the cease-fire agreement.

"Until smart Democrats like Chris start having honest conversations about the party, and what they do, nothing is going to change," Charlamagne said. Referencing Trump's "hell to pay" message to Hamas on releasing the Israeli hostages before his inauguration on Jan. 20, Charlamagne said, "From the time Trump said that, that's when conversations started to speed up. And I mean Israeli TV is saying the same thing."

CHARLAMAGNE SENDS MESSAGE TO DEMOCRATS: CUT THE MORAL HIGH GROUND ACT

The most recent cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced this Wednesday, with 33 hostages being released by Hamas over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians currently imprisoned by Israel. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Biden and Trump for their roles in advancing the negotiations. Netanyahu thanked Biden for his commitment and lauded Trump’s assertion that Gaza should never again become a "haven for terrorism." 

Charlamagne expressed his disillusionment with Democrats after seeing viral videos of former President Barack Obama and Trump talking with one another at former President Jimmy Carter's funeral last week.

CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD CLASHES WITH WHOOPI GOLDBERG OVER BIDEN'S PARDON OF HUNTER: 'HE JUST CHANGED HIS MIND?'

"I'm sure everybody saw the, the video of Barack Obama and Donald Trump being all chummy, chummy, Barack Obama showing his teeth. Here's the reason I don't like that," Charlamagne said, adding, "I've been alive 46 years. I have never heard people refer to a political opponent, or liken them to Hitler. Never said, never heard them, never heard them be called a fascist."

Schulz then jumped in and asked, "But why are they all hanging out and chumming it up with Hitler? I don't get it."

"That's my point," said Charlamagne, adding, "my point is, if you're going to have that rhetoric, keep that same energy."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Charlamagne continued to rip into Obama for being friendly with Trump, saying, "You said this man was a threat to democracy. Right? You said these things. You're the last real leader of the Democratic Party. You tell me if that's good political optics, why should I, like I said, I said this last week, why should I believe anything that comes out of Democrats' mouths?"

The radio host expressed that he "never called Donald Trump a fascist based off anything I heard from Democrats. I said that because of the things I heard come out of Donald Trump's mouth. Right. But guess what? I don't even know if I believe it anymore," adding, "But only because of how they're, only because of how they're acting. I'm like, well, God, maybe it ain't that much of a threat."

"Exactly, they lied to you," Schulz responded.

Fox News' Efat Lachter contributed to this report.

President Biden is ending his tenure in the White House on a "sad" note after "lying to the nation" and taking credit for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas during his farewell address on Wednesday evening, a Trump transition official said. 

"Joe Biden is going out sad. Lying to the nation trying to take credit for a deal that all parties credit President Trump for making happen. Biden has had well over a year to secure the release of these hostages and peace. He failed. Trump succeeded," a Trump transition official told Fox News Digital on Wednesday evening. 

War has raged in the Middle East since October of 2023, with Israel and Hamas coming to a cease-fire agreement on Wednesday that also ensured the release of hostages. 

Biden delivered his final address to the nation on Wednesday evening, where he took a victory lap for the cease fire in his opening remarks. 

BIDEN TAKES SOLE CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS DEAL, WARNS OF 'OLIGARCHY' THREATENING DEMOCRACY IN FAREWELL SPEECH

"My fellow Americans, I'm speaking to you tonight from the Oval Office. Before I begin, let me speak to important news from earlier today. After eight months of nonstop negotiation, my administration – by my administration – a cease-fire and hostage deal has been reached by Israel and Hamas. The elements of which I laid out in great detail in May of this year," Biden said. 

"This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. That's why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that's how it should be, working together as Americans," he continued. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN RELEASES FAREWELL LETTER, SAYS IT’S BEEN ‘PRIVILEGE OF MY LIFE TO SERVE THIS NATION'

Credit for reaching the agreement, however, was bolstered by the incoming Trump administration, according to sources who told Fox Digital that a recent meeting between Trump's incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly played a pivotal role in the deal. 

FOX NEWS GETS AN INSIDE LOOK AT IDF'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS

Netanyahu also thanked Trump on Wednesday for "his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages."

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families," the official Prime Minister of Israel X account posted. 

"The Prime Minister made it clear that he is committed to returning all of the hostages however he can, and commended the US President-elect for his remarks that the US would work with Israel to ensure that Gaza will never be a haven for terrorism."

The X account added later: "Prime Minister Netanyahu then spoke with US President Joe Biden and thanked him as well for his assistance in advancing the hostages deal." 

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT'

When asked who the history books would remember for championing the cease-fire deal earlier Wednesday, Biden balked at the suggestion Trump and his team spearheaded the effort. 

"Who in the history books gets credit for this, Mr. President, you or Trump?" Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich asked Biden at Wednesday afternoon's White House news conference.

"Is that a joke?" the president responded.

"Oh. Thank you," Biden responded when Heinrich said it was not a joke, and then walked away.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal that also ensures the release of hostages, Fox News has confirmed.

"A Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached following the Qatari Prime Minister's meeting with Hamas negotiators, and separately Israeli negotiators in his office," a source briefed on the matter told Fox News.

Separately, a senior Hamas official confirmed to Fox News that a deal was reached. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has yet to confirm the deal.

The conflict, which began with Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7, 2023, has left over 1,200 Israelis dead, more than 250 taken hostage, and thousands of others killed on both sides.

The deal, brokered by Qatari negotiators and facilitated by Egyptian intermediaries, also saw significant involvement from the United States. Both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration applied strategic pressure to finalize the agreement, despite concerns about Hamas rearming and internal tensions within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. 

Sources told Fox News Digital that a weekend meeting between Netanyahu and President-elect Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, led to the breakthrough. Witkoff’s assurances reportedly convinced Netanyahu to accept the deal, despite threats from a right-wing party to withdraw from the coalition if it passed.

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

The agreement calls for the release of three hostages on the first day, followed by weekly batches. Women, children, and men over 50 will be prioritized initially, with younger men in humanitarian cases included later. Updates on hostages’ statuses will alternate between announcements of survivors and confirmation of those who did not survive captivity.

The operation’s execution relies on extensive coordination among the IDF, Shin Bet, Israeli Police, the Ministry of Health, the International Red Cross, and Egyptian authorities. Over 42 days, 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be released. Early stages will focus on civilian women, children and female soldiers, followed by elderly men. The final hostage in this group is scheduled for release on the 42nd day.

HAMAS HAS ACCEPTED DRAFT AGREEMENT FOR GAZA CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE: OFFICIALS

On the 16th day, the second phase will begin, addressing the release of younger men, soldiers, and the return of remains. Netanyahu assured hostage families that every captive is accounted for in the deal. Approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange, with murder convicts barred from returning to the West Bank. Instead, they will be sent to Gaza, Qatar, or Turkey.

The cease-fire will also facilitate significant humanitarian aid to Gaza, with up to 600 trucks of supplies entering daily. By the 22nd day, displaced residents will be allowed to return to northern Gaza. Qatari and Egyptian teams will manage vehicle inspections, while pedestrian crossings will not require checks. The IDF will withdraw from the Nitzarim corridor but maintain a limited presence along the Philadelphi Route.

Although intelligence on the hostages’ conditions remains limited, assessments suggest that most are alive. Before each release stage, Israel will receive updated information on their identities and health statuses. The International Red Cross will oversee their transfer from Gaza to Israel, ensuring their safety while addressing logistical challenges such as crowd control.

Upon entering Israel, hostages will undergo identity verification and initial questioning by Shin Bet and the IDF. Medical teams stationed at the border will provide immediate care, and those requiring further treatment will be airlifted to hospitals. After receiving necessary care, hostages will be reunited with their families.

Israel’s security forces are preparing for various contingencies to ensure the operation’s success while maintaining stability. The coming weeks will be marked by tension and emotion as families and the nation anticipate the return of those held captive, including seven Americans, in this prolonged conflict.