The Rafah crossing has been shuttered for over eight months but is opening again as part of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

ANKARA (AA) - As displaced Palestinians on Monday began returning to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip, for the first time since Israel launched a war in October 2023 on the enclave, Hamas said the return was a victory for their people and a defeat for Israel and its expulsion plans.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with a delegation from Hamas in Ankara on Wednesday for the first time since the cease-fire took effect in the

Israel and Hamas say the militant group will release three Israelis and with five Thai nationals in the next hostage release on Thursday. The Israelis are two women and an

Thailand suffered the highest toll of any country not directly involved in the war, with its citizens working perilously close to dangerous boundary areas in Israel

The ceasefire is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas and securing the release of dozens of hostages captured in the militants’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the fighting.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed 15 months ago that Israel would achieve “total victory” in the war in Gaza — by eradicating Hamas and freeing all the hostages.

The 14th ship carrying essential humanitarian aid for displaced Palestinians set sail from Türkiye to the Gaza Strip, Interior Minister Ali

ANKARA, Jan 27 (Bernama-AA) -- Thousands of Palestinians on Monday morning began returning to the northern Gaza Strip as part of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group that came into effect on Jan 19, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

Anadolu Agency reported Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari confirmed the development on X: "As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza.”

The Rafah border crossing with Gaza will reopen within days in the presence of European and Palestinian observers, an Egyptian governor said on Wednesday. “The Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing is fully ready for operation,

Israel's economy minister said on Wednesday it seeks a peaceful Gaza but has not decided whether to help fund its reconstruction and would not allow the rebuilding of Hamas rule that he said could lead to another cross-border militant attack.