Israel-Hamas ceasefire in place with first group of hostages, prisoners freed
Voice of America
A man sits on a lounge chair atop a heavily-damaged building along Saftawi street in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on Jan. 20, 2025 a day after a ceasefire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas went into effect. Palestinian prisoners (back) wait to disembark from a Red Cross bus upon their arrival in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah, following their release by Israel in the early hours of Jan. 20, 2025. Trucks loaded with aid wait to cross into Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Jan. 19, 2025.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was holding Monday, with the two sides in the early stages of a six-week pause in fighting that could lead to an end to the war that began in October 2023.
