The Israeli government ban on UNRWA over national security concerns and links to terrorism began Jan. 30. UNRWA has called the move by Jerusalem as "disastrous."

Israel instructed buses carrying Palestinian detainees slated for release under the Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas to return to prisons, an official involved in the operation told Reuters on Thursday.

Hussein Fayyad Abu Hamza, a commander in Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, was filmed by NBC News as he walked around Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, greeting civilians. Israel previously claimed he had been killed in fighting after the Hamas attacks of Oct.

On Thursday, laws passed by Israel in October come into effect banning the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, known as UNRWA, from Israeli territory and prohibiting Israeli officials from any contact with the agency.

Hamas plans to release three Israeli hostages Thursday — two women and an 80-year-old man — as well as five Thai nationals abducted during the Oct.

Tehran confirmed the purchase of Moscow's Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets, strengthening the countries' military and political ties.

Israel delayed the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners set for Thursday in protest over chaotic scenes during an earlier handover of hostages in Gaza to the Red Cross.

Hamas began the process of freeing three more Israeli hostages and five Thai captives on Thursday, the third such release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners.

The Israeli hostages due to be released in Gaza on Thursday have been named by the Israeli Prime Minister’s office (PMO), which also confirmed that five Thai nationals will be freed.

Eight of the remaining hostages set to be released by Hamas in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel are dead, according to an Israeli government spokesperson.