Steven Witkoff, who played an important role in brokering the truce between Israel and Hamas, also met with Israel’s prime minister and visited Saudi Arabia.

Legislation that stops Israeli authorities from working with the main U.N. agency caring for Palestinian refugees came into effect Thursday, threatening the ability to sustain aid deliveries for Gaza that are a key part of the cease-fire deal.

Even before the first phase is completed, the fragile cease-fire agreement that has paused 15 months of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas faces increasingly long odds of lasting or even reaching phase two.

Israel has begun allowing Palestinians to return to the heavily destroyed north of the Gaza Strip for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas.

A professional fact-checker has debunked claims from the Trump administration accusing the Biden administration of spending $50 million to send condoms to Gaza.

• Eight hostages – three Israeli and five Thai – are set to be released from Gaza on Thursday. The three Israelis are Arbel Yehoud, Agam Berger and Gadi Moses, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. The names of the five Thai citizens have not been made public.

Three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals captured by Hamas are set to be freed on Thursday following a ceasefire agreement that came into effect this month. View on euronews

Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip — The grove of orange, olive and palm trees that once stood in front of Ne’man Abu Jarad’s house was bulldozed away. The roses and jasmine flowers on the roof and in the garden, which he lovingly watered so his family could enjoy their fragrance, were also gone.

After a ceasefire deal paused 15 months of war in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to the rubble of their homes.

Steve Witkoff visited the enclave to oversee the implementation of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.