Long lines of Palestinians -- some kneeling to kiss the soil as they stepped into the northern part of the strip -- were making their way home on Monday.

Pete Hegseth stresses that the US is 'fully committed' to ensure that Israel has the capabilities it needs to defend itself, says a defense official - Anadolu Ajansı

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary by the narrowest of margins, elevating an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host to the top Pentagon job with the help of a rare tie-breaking vote by the vice president.

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began Jan. 19 after Hamas supplied a list of the hostages slated for return to Israel.

Of the 33 Israeli hostages set to be released during the first phase of the ceasefire, eight have been killed by Hamas, according to Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer. Seven hostages have already been released since the start of the ceasefire, meaning 18 more living hostages will be released by Hamas in the coming weeks.

Kournikova, who stays mostly out of the spotlight, has been with singer Enrique Iglesias since 2001. Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the Agriculture Department, had told colleagues that she intended to stay after the White House fired her Friday.

Trump over the weekend told reporters that Egypt and Jordan should take in Palestinians from war-torn Gaza, an idea that has long been rejected by those countries and the Palestinians themselves because they say it would undermine the notion of Palestinian statehood and foment instability in their states.

The retired four-star general is the latest former official targeted by the Trump administration.

These developments do not bode well for the success of the next phases of the cease-fire, let alone a lasting peace. Palestinians consider Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan as part of what should be a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu rejects.

Trump has vowed to end the "weaponisation" of the Justice Department and has set about nominating and appointing allies to top posts in the department. Smith himself resigned from the Justice Department shortly before Trump took office, and both federal cases have effectively ended.

Israel on Monday began allowing thousands of Palestinians to return to the heavily destroyed north of the Gaza Strip for the first time since the early weeks of

As people return to northern Gaza on Monday, the Gaza government said it "immediately and urgently" needs at least 135,000 tents because 90% of the buildings have been destroyed. The government called on the international community to help provide "basic supplies" for Palestinians.