Tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem were set to lose education, healthcare and other services provided by U.N. agency UNRWA as an Israeli ban on the organisation takes effect on Thursday.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians were jubilant to be returning home but fear what might remain of their homes.

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.

Israel says it has killed thousands of the armed group’s members and destroyed much of its infrastructure, but since the cease-fire started Hamas has shown it still holds power in the enclave.

Newsweek has reached out to the Jerusalem Municipality for comment via email. The arrests highlight the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinians, especially in light of the ceasefire that ended a major conflict.

A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin on Sunday morning, mediator Qatar said, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to bring back "all the hostages" held in the Palestinian territory.The truce is intended to end more than 15 months of fighting and devastating bombardment,

Crowds of displaced Palestinians made the arduous journey back to heavily destroyed northern Gaza for a second day Tuesday, under a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the militant group. The fragile deal has so far held, quieting airstrikes and rockets and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

Israel has formally banned the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash

Hamas militants have handed over four captive female Israeli soldiers to the Red Cross in Gaza City after parading them in front of a crowd

Hamas released eight hostages on Thursday — five Thai farm workers and three dual German-Israeli nationals — in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.