The hostages and 200 prisoners were released in the second swap of the Gaza cease-fire deal, which went into effect this month.

Jonathan Harounoff, Israel's spokesman to the United Nations, observes that anti-Israel agitators have taken their cause to "sickening" new lows in New York City.

Palestinian and Israeli Americans in the Tri-State Area are eagerly awaiting word that the Israel-Hamas ceasefire will begin Sunday.

As news of the breakthrough surfaced, stakeholders from politicians to families of hostages kidnapped at the start of the war breathed a sigh of relief that the long, violent and acrimonious

"It is striking that Israel was not mentioned in the president's inauguration speech," a senior Hamas official told Newsweek.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Israel-Hamas war, now nearing a potential ceasefire, has devastated the Gaza Strip. Satellite photos offer some sense of the destruction in the territory, which has been largely sealed off to journalists and others.

The Palestinian prisoners authority has released a list of the 200 prisoners expected to be handed over by Israel as part of the exchange.

Envoy Steve Witkoff, carrying a message from Donald Trump, broke through the impasse in long-futile cease-fire talks.

New York Mayor Eric Adams said he had a “productive conversation” with Donald Trump on Friday that touched on a number of issues, including the effect of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement on public safety and ways to attract manufacturing jobs to the city.