Follow NBC News live updates for the latest coverage of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

An Israeli hostage held for more than a year by Hamas in Gaza was released Thursday morning, marking the first of eight hostages held by the Iran-proxy militia expected to be released throughout t

Witnessed and recorded by an NBC News crew in Gaza, the fighters' presence at a crossing deemed vital for keeping Hamas from going into the north of Gaza raises big questions about one of Israel’s stated objectives in launching the war: eliminate the militant group behind the worst terrorist attack in Israeli history.

The cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas was formally signed by negotiators in Qatar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday night — hours after several setbacks threatened to ...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump are expected to meet next week in Washington, making him the first foreign leader to visit to the White House since Trump returned to

As part of the swap, Palestinian militants in Gaza freed five Thai and three Israeli hostages, handing them over to the Red Cross amid chaotic crowds.

Trump made comments about what’s next for Palestinians in Gaza, saying, “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.”

Over six weeks, Hamas is to free 33 Israeli hostages — roughly one third of those held– in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. As part of the truce, Israel has also pulled its forces back from major cities and allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in war-torn Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the “horrific” scenes during the chaotic hostage handover in Gaza — as the Jewish state then delayed the release of more than 100 Palestinian prisoners that were scheduled to be swapped in response.