The sources said that while Hamas has successfully recruited new members, many are young and untrained and are being used for simple security purposes.

Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN Photo: CCTV. The Hamas-Israel ceasefire that begins on January 19 must not lead to renewed hostilities; children mus

China welcomes the Gaza ceasefire agreement and hopes that this agreement will be implemented effectively and that there will be a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas formally entered into force on Sunday, paving the way for the exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages. A spokeswoman for Beijing's foreign ministry said "China welcomes the Gaza ceasefire agreement coming into effect".

Zainab Shaaban, 28, displaced from Gaza City to the Al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza, shared a similar sentiment. "I long to return to my home and reunite with my family. We miss the life we had before the war," she said.

Hamas said on Monday that talks over some core issues for a ceasefire deal in Gaza have made progress, an official in the Palestinian group told Reuters.

A top Chinese envoy has visited Israel and Palestine, signalling Beijing's willingness to engage in regional affairs following the Gaza ceasefire, though observers cautioned that the results might be limited results given the close ties between the US and Israel.

Isreal Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi resigned on Tuesday in a stunning announcement as he blamed himself for failures in Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

Hamas official Abdul Rahman Shadid accused the ... Attempts by mediators, such as China, to bring the sides together for a new deal have not yielded results. Found a mistake?

In October, Israeli forces returned to areas of the north in a major anti-Hamas operation focused on Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City and Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya towns, clearing the area of its inhabitants and razing most of its buildings.

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.