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Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect, IDF begins pulling back in Gaza

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Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect, IDF begins pulling back in Gaza

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A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect at 12:00 p.m. local time, marking the beginning of the end of the brutal war that has gone on for more than two years. The development also brings the hostages one step closer to returning home.

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said Friday morning that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that Israel completed the first phase of the withdrawal and that Hamas’ 72-hour window to release the hostages had begun.

The Israeli government approved and signed the deal overnight, local time, kicking off a 24-hour countdown clock during which time troops had to withdraw to a pre-determined position.

“Following the political echelon’s instructions and due to the situational assessment, the IDF has begun operational preparations ahead of the implementation of the agreement. As part of this process, preparations and a combat protocol are underway to transition to adjusted deployment lines soon. The IDF continues to be deployed in the area and prepared for any operational development,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) wrote on X.

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TRUMP PEACE DEAL TRIGGERS 72-HOUR COUNTDOWN FOR HAMAS TO RELEASE 48 HOSTAGES FROM GAZA

Israeli soldiers stand atop military vehicles on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border on Oct. 10, 2025, after the Israeli government ratified a deal with Hamas. (Shir Torem/Reuters)

Hours later, the IDF confirmed that the ceasefire commenced and that troops had positioned themselves “along the updated deployment lines.”

While Israel’s presence has decreased in Gaza, the peace agreement stipulates that it will still occupy 53% of the enclave until the next phase.

IDF spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee sent out a statement in Arabic regarding the exact situation on the ground. He warned Palestinians against approaching IDF troops, as doing so “endangers your life.” Adraee also said that the northern part of the Gaza Strip is still “extremely dangerous,” particularly the areas of Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, Shejaiya and any other area with a “concentration of troops.” Other areas included in the warning were the Rafah Crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor.

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“Do not move toward Israeli territory, and do not approach the security zone. Approaching the security zone is extremely dangerous. For your safety, do not begin moving to these areas until official approval has been granted,” Adraee said in his message.

Now that the IDF has completed its repositioning, Hamas has 72 hours to release all the hostages, living and dead. This includes the bodies of U.S. citizens Omer Neutra and Itay Chen.

Palestinians, who were displaced to the southern part of Gaza at Israel’s order during the war, make their way following their arrival in Gaza City after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Oct. 10, 2025. (Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters)

WORLD LEADERS PRAISE ‘LANDMARK’ ISRAEL-HAMAS PEACE DEAL MEDIATED BY US: ‘NEW HORIZON OF HOPE’

The U.S. is not deploying troops to Gaza; however, two U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News that 200 troops from CENTCOM will be sent to Israel to help oversee the ceasefire. They will facilitate security and humanitarian flow and monitor the implementation of the deal, including transportation, logistics and engineering, the officials said.

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President Donald Trump said in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that he expected the hostages to be home on Monday or Tuesday. The president also announced that he would be making a trip over to the Middle East for the official signing of the agreement.

“We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday,” Trump said, adding that the day the hostages return will “be a day of joy.”

People walk past posters of hostages held by the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 10, 2025.  (AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

On Wednesday, hours after the announcement that Israel and Hamas signed the first phase of the deal, Trump spoke with family members of hostages being held in Gaza. The families thanked the president and praised him for securing a deal that would bring their loved ones home after more than two years in captivity.

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The deadly car explosion in New Delhi is being investigated under an anti-terrorism law

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The deadly car explosion in New Delhi is being investigated under an anti-terrorism law

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police were investigating the deadly car explosion in New Delhi under an anti-terrorism law, officials said Tuesday, as forensic experts worked to determine the cause of the blast.

The explosion occurred near the historic Red Fort late Monday, killing at least eight people and injuring several others.

Senior police officials told The Associated Press that a case was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, India’s main anti-terrorism law, which allows broader powers to investigating agencies to detain suspects. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a scheduled visit to Bhutan on Tuesday, said investigators would “get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

“The conspirators won’t be spared and all those responsible will be brought to justice,” Modi said.

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Police said the explosion was believed to have originated from a Hyundai i20 car that had stopped at a traffic signal. Nearby vehicles were badly damaged, and photos showed shattered windows, twisted metal and flames engulfing several cars.

Police were trying to trace the car’s owner. There was no immediate information about the occupants, who were believed to have been killed.

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Home Minister Amit Shah said Monday that “all angles” were being investigated and that security agencies would reach a conclusion soon. He said footage from cameras in the area would play a key role in the investigation.

Major train stations, including in Mumbai and in Uttar Pradesh state, which borders New Delhi, were put on security alert. The security force responsible for guarding key installations in the capital, including New Delhi’s international airport, metro system and major government buildings, said its personnel had also been placed on security alert.

A former imperial palace, the Red Fort is a sprawling Mughal-era complex and a major tourist attraction in the Old Delhi section of the city. Located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from Parliament, the 17th-century monument is a symbolic location where Indian prime ministers deliver their Independence Day speeches on Aug. 15 each year.

The area around Red Fort is typically crowded, serving as a main route to the bustling bazaars of the old city.

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Government shutdown reaches overseas bases as many feel the strain

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Government shutdown reaches overseas bases as many feel the strain

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Thousands of miles from the stalemate in Washington D.C., the effects of the government shutdown are being felt around the world. While President Donald Trump found a way to temporarily pay U.S. troops — others on base aren’t so lucky, including teachers and support staff.

Donna Irwin, a substitute teacher at a naval base in Italy, says the impact is deeply felt. “It has been absolutely terrible to watch and the morale at the school, I mean it’s low,” Irwin said.

LAWMAKER WARNS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS POTENTIALLY LEADING TO BIG WASTE IN THE MILITARY, IMPACTING READINESS

Some American educators abroad are not allowed to take second jobs while the government shutdown leaves military school staff unpaid overseas.

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The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates 161 schools in 11 countries, seven states and two territories across 10 time zones. Nearly 900,000 military-connected children live worldwide, 67,000 of whom are enrolled in DoDEA schools and served by more than 14,000 employees.

In a statement, DoDEA’s communications operations chief Jessica Tackaberry told Fox News that they remain “committed to providing a world-class education” and that they “understand the difficulties this situation may create for our dedicated educators and staff who are working without pay. DoDEA is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide guidance and support to employees as needed.”

Athletics and co-curricular activities are also considered excepted activities at this time.

The Department of Defense Education Activity acknowledges the challenges faced by educators and staff working without pay during the government shutdown.

Irwin considers herself lucky that her husband is still getting a paycheck as a sailor, but with half their income on hold, they’re cutting back. She says that even when the government reopens, repayment can still take a while.

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HOUSE CONSERVATIVE LEADER GIVES BLESSING TO SENATE SHUTDOWN DEAL, WITH ‘ONE CAVEAT’

“Especially out here, you feel forgotten because we are here to support that mission — as DoD contractors, as spouses and family members of the service members,. You know, these bases, these installations — they really don’t function without us, without our vital jobs and our support,” she said.

It’s a unique situation for Americans living abroad. For many, taking a second job off base isn’t allowed under their contract agreements. Living an ocean away from family who could help adds to the stress. Some are simply trying to explain to European landlords that their employer isn’t sending a paycheck, and they can’t afford rent or utility bills.

Some teachers at military bases abroad pay out of pocket for snacks and school supplies for their students as they work without compensation during the government shutdown. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“We oftentimes forget about all those little auto-pay things we have — everything from streaming services to healthcare needs — and they’re having to do these deep dives into their bank accounts and cancel all of these, you know, car insurance, your vehicle,” Irwin said.

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Despite the shutdown, educators say their students still come first and that the mission continues — even if it means footing the bill themselves for snacks and school supplies. Irwin works in a special education classroom, teaching essential life skills such as cooking and cleaning.

“I have no budget for any of that in my current classroom, so I’ve been having to go to the commissary myself and make do, trying to buy things that I can’t afford right now for these students who desperately need those life skills,” Irwin said. “I think the saddest thing for me is watching my students come in, and they don’t fully understand everything that’s happening with the government and with politics and to see them worried, to see them worry about, ‘Am I going to have a meal tomorrow, am I going to have a meal today?’”

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US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown

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US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown

The measure still needs to be approved by the House and signed by US President Donald Trump.

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The United States is moving closer to ending its record-breaking government shutdown after the Senate took a critical step forward to end its five-week impasse.

The Senate on Monday night approved a spending package by a vote of 60 to 40 to fund the US government through January 30, and reinstate pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

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The spending bill next moves to the House of Representatives for approval and then on to President Donald Trump for a sign-off before the shutdown can finally end.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it on to Trump to sign into law.

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The vote in the Senate follows negotiations this weekend that saw seven Democrats and one Independent agree to vote in favour of the updated spending package to end the shutdown, which enters its 42nd day on Tuesday.

Also included in the deal are three-year funding appropriations for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, veterans affairs and congressional operations.

The bill does not, however, resolve one of the most central issues in the shutdown – extending healthcare subsidies. Senate Republicans have agreed to vote on the issue as a separate measure in December.

US legislators have been under growing pressure to end the government shutdown, which enters its forty-second day on Tuesday, as their constituents feel the impact of funding lapses for programmes like food stamps.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or required to work without pay since the shutdown began on October 1, while Trump has separately threatened to use the shutdown as a pretext to slash the federal workforce.

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Voters have also felt the impact of the shutdown at airports across the US after the Federal Aviation Administration last week announced a 10 percent cut in air traffic due to absences from air traffic controllers.

The cuts have created chaos for US air travel just as the country is heading into its busiest travel season of the year.

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