Many residents of northern Gaza and southern Lebanon are expected to return to their homes in the coming days and weeks, with most of the fighting in both areas paused under Israeli ceasefire agreements with Hamas and Hezbollah.
Under Israel's multi-phased deal with Hamas, some hostages held in the Gaza Strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have started to be released. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are expected to continue amid the first phase of the deal, which was slated to last about six weeks.
Gaza hostage exchange has started with two freed, American Keith Siegel expected next
Two returning hostages are currently being accompanied by IDF special forces and ISA forces on their return to Israeli territory, where they will undergo an initial medical assessment.
"A short while ago, the returning civilian hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, crossed the border into Israeli territory accompanied by IDF and ISA forces.," according to a joint IDF and ISA Announcement. "The returning civilian hostages are currently on their way to an initial reception point in southern Israel."
Jan 31, 2025, 4:03 PM EST
Thousands of Egyptians protest against displacement of Palestinians
Thousands of Egyptians gathered on Friday near the Rafah border crossing to protest a proposal by President Donald Trump to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, according to Egyptian media.
Thousands of protesters chanted slogans against the displacement of Palestinians and waved Egyptian and Palestinian flags near the border, local TV footage showed.
The area is highly secured and can only be accessed with a government escort.
Demonstrators gather outside the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on Jan. 31, 2025, to protest against a plan floated by President Donald Trump to move Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan.
Kerolos Salah/AFP via Getty Images
Last week, Trump proposed a plan to "clean out" the war-torn Gaza Strip, and relocate its residents to Jordan and Egypt, an idea both countries have dismissed. Despite this, Trump insisted Thursday that the two states will ultimately take displaced Gazans.
"They will do it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked for his response to the Egyptian and Jordanian refusal, and whether he would consider imposing tariffs on either country to push them.
"We do a lot for them, and they’re going to do it," Trump said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had said that the forced displacement of Palestinians is an "injustice that we can never take part in."
He said Egyptians would take to the streets to reject the relocation of Palestinians if he asked them about Trump’s proposal.
-ABC News' Ayat El-Tawy
Jan 31, 2025, 3:54 PM EST
462,000 Palestinians return to Northern Gaza
As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues, at least 462,000 people have crossed from the south into Northern Gaza in the last week, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Displaced Palestinians are also moving from north to south, in smaller numbers -- about 1,400 people in total as of Friday, according to OCHA.
Across Gaza, extensive efforts are underway to restore critical services and provide aid amid an urgent need for supplies.
Jan 31, 2025, 5:10 AM EST
Hamas names 3 hostages, including American, to be released Saturday
The spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing has announced the names of three hostages the group will release on Saturday as part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Among them is U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and Israeli national Yarden Bibas, the husband of Shiri Bibas, according to a statement from Hamas.
