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Middle East live updates: Siegel's family thanks President Trump 'for bringing our father back to us'

Thirty-three hostages are set to be released in the ceasefire's first phase.

Last Updated: February 1, 2025, 1:26 PM EST

Many residents of northern Gaza and southern Lebanon are expected to return to their homes in the coming days and weeks, with most of the fighting in both areas paused under Israeli ceasefire agreements with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Under Israel's multi-phased deal with Hamas, some hostages held in the Gaza Strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails have started to be released. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are expected to continue amid the first phase of the deal, which was slated to last about six weeks.

Jan 28, 2025, 4:30 PM EST

2 killed, 6 injured in Israeli operation in the West Bank, IDF says

Israeli forces say two Palestinians were killed and six others were wounded “during counterterrorism operations” in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces said it dismantled weapons storage facilities and a weapons manufacturing workshop during their operation in Jenin.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

Jan 28, 2025, 3:07 PM EST

Israel strikes southern Lebanon

Israel has launched several strikes against southern Lebanon on Tuesday, saying it struck a Hezbollah truck and an additional vehicle transferring weapons in the areas of Chaqif and Nabatieh.

"The truck and the additional vehicle were struck after being monitored by the IDF at the time of the transfer of the weapons," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

"The IDF is determined to continue to operate in accordance with the understanding between Israel and Lebanon, despite Hezbollah's attempts to return to southern Lebanon, and will operate against any threat posed to the state of Israel and its citizens," the IDF said.

Jan 28, 2025, 2:16 PM EST

Egypt denies speaking to Trump about taking Palestinians from Gaza

Egypt on Tuesday denied reports that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump after the latter said Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians from Gaza.

"There was no truth to what some media outlets reported about a phone call between the Egyptian and American presidents," a senior official told state-affiliated Al-Qahera News TV. The official added that any such contact would have been announced.

Trump suggested on Saturday a plan to "clean out” the Gaza Strip, saying he would "like Egypt to take people," and would like Jordan to do the same.

He elaborated on the remarks on Monday, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that he’d spoken with Sisi, although he did not clarify Sisi’s stance on accepting additional Palestinian refugees.

"I wish he would take some, we help them a lot, and I’m sure he can help us, he’s a friend of mine," Trump said. "He’s in a very rough part of the world, to be honest, as they say, it’s a rough neighborhood, but I think he can do it."

"When you look at the Gaza Strip, it’s been hell for so many years," Trump said Monday. "There’s always been violence associated. So, I think you can get people living in areas that are a lot safer and maybe a lot better and maybe a lot more comfortable."

Both Jordan and Egypt appeared to reject Trump's suggestion. Egypt's foreign ministry issued a statement affirming its rejection of the “displacement or the uprooting of Palestinians from their land whether temporarily or long-term," and Jordan reiterated its “firm and unwavering" stance against any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington D.C. on Feb. 4.

Jan 28, 2025, 12:33 PM EST

UNRWA must stop all operations within 48 hours, Israel says

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East must cease all its operations and evacuate all premises it operates in Jerusalem in the next 48 hours in accordance with Israeli law, Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the U.N. on Tuesday.

"The legislation forbids UNWRA from operating within the sovereign territory of the state of Israel and forbids any contact between Israeli officials and UNRWA. Furthermore, UNRWA will be prohibited from maintaining any representative office, service, or activity within our territory. Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication, and contact with UNWRA or anyone acting on its behalf," Danon said.

"We will not allow UNWRA to work from Israel. And I think it will be a gradual process until other agencies will step in and will take their positions in Gaza. We have no intention to go back and rule Gaza. And I think it will be other NGOs that will have to increase their activities," Danon said.

A truck driver talks with a worker as he waits to go through the Rafah border crossing to enter the Gaza Strip, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, Egypt, Jan. 28, 2025.
Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters

The UNRWA is the largest U.N. presence in Gaza, with 13,000 personnel and 300 premises. The agency is critical for supporting a shattered population and the ceasefire.

"In Gaza, undermining UNRWA’s operations will compromise the international humanitarian response. It will degrade the capacity of the United Nations just when humanitarian assistance must be scaled up significantly. This will only worsen the already catastrophic living conditions of millions of Palestinians," the UNRWA said in response to the announcement.

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