White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the Biden administration had earmarked $50 million for a condom distribution programme in the Gaza Strip. Her comments came as she was justifying Donald Trump’s sweeping freeze on all foreign aid.

“Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the occupation is defeated,” Hamas said in a statement after the cease-fire.

Wealthy Arab nations consider bankrolling Gaza’s reconstruction, but they want assurances Palestinians will lead in the postwar period.

More than 375,000 Palestinians have made their way back to homes in northern Gaza after 15 months on the run because of war

The Israel-Hamas war, now nearing a potential ceasefire, has devastated the Gaza Strip. Satellite photos offer some sense of the destruction in the territory, which has been largely sealed off to journalists and others.

Ali Al-Ansari, media attache to the Qatari Embassy to the United States, told Newsweek his nation "appreciates the important role and positive impact of President Trump and his administration, particularly the efforts of his special envoy Steve Witkoff, in finalizing the agreement."

Donald Trump told reporters he wants Jordan, Egypt and other Arab nations to take in “probably a million and a half” Palestinians from the war-torn strip.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has begun allowing Palestinians to return to the heavily destroyed north of the Gaza Strip for the first time since the early weeks of the 15-month war with Hamas, in accordance with a fragile ceasefire.

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.

Steve Witkoff is part of the team that played a major role in reaching the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal earlier this month.