Israeli troops have pulled back to the edges of Gaza, the first hostages have been released and many Palestinians have returned to what remains of their homes in the first few days of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

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.

The Israeli delegation includes officials from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and Shin Bet security agency, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The post Armed Hamas operatives parade in Gaza’s Rafah after ceasefire was supposed to take effect appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Footage from a drive from Rafah to Khan Younis shows the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip as Palestinians confront an apocalyptic landscape of devastation after a ceasefire paused more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has confirmed that it will maintain control over the Rafah border crossing, the key passage between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Israel will maintain control of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza during the initial ceasefire phase with Hamas. The Palestinian Authority will not manage the crossing, and vetted Palestinians will stamp passports.

Rafah was home to over a million Palestinians displaced from the Israel-Hamas war. Now, Palestinians in Gaza wade through rubble to see what remains.

Hamas gunmen are guarding aid convoys in Gaza, and its police patrol city streets, sending a clear message: Hamas remains in charge.

"It is striking that Israel was not mentioned in the president's inauguration speech," a senior Hamas official told Newsweek.

NBC News crews in Gaza captured families moving in the enclave to find out what was left of their homes, as Israeli hostage families await the return of their loved ones.

The European Union is in talks to revive a civilian mission to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt at Rafah following the announcement of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.