Israel and Hamas were expected to swap more hostages for Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, the second such exchange since a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip last weekend and another test for the deal.

To truly understand this angst, one must understand Jewish history and one of the main reasons for Israel’s establishment as a modern nation-state.

The proposed phased agreement to end the Gaza conflict was preceded by the Oct. 7, 2023, mass killing and hostage-taking by Hamas militants that triggered the Israel-Gaza war and Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The ceasefire goes into effect Sunday, with saying on Wednesday that he hoped the “details will be finalized tonight.”

Hours before Jan. 19, after the Supreme Court upheld a law that would require TikTok be sold to a U.S.-held company in order to remain active in the country, a nationwide ban of the popular video sharing app officially went into effect. Pets were rescued from shelters in LA to help alleviate the overcrowding happening after the fires.

Mediators say Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement following weeks of negotiations, pausing a destructive 15-month war in Gaza. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says details have yet to be finalized.

The first three hostages were released from Gaza, and the first Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli custody, as a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold following 15 months of war.

The Palestinian prisoners authority has released a list of the 200 prisoners expected to be handed over by Israel as part of the exchange.

A group representing the relatives of Israelis held in Gaza confirmed that the four hostages set to be released by Hamas on Saturday are female soldiers.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will issue an executive order to increase the availability of water in California, following disastrous wildfires that recently tore through several Los Angeles neighborhoods.

The Israelis being returned by Hamas were criminally kidnapped. Getting them back isn't a fair 'deal'; it's extortion, says a reader.

Four female soldiers are set to be released by Hamas on Saturday as part of the the ceasefire and hostage release deal, the militant group said.

More rain fell today on parts of Southern California after causing mudflows over the weekend, helping firefighters but boosting the risk of toxic ash runoff in areas scorched by Los Angeles-area wildfires.