Israel freed almost 2,000 Palestinians from its jails on Monday as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, prompting emotional scenes of families reunited with loved ones, some of whom had spent decades behind bars.

Israel says it expects all of the 20 living hostages held in the Gaza Strip to be released Monday in its breakthrough ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Israeli forces have completed a pullback of troops from Gaza on Friday after Israel's Cabinet approved a plan for a ceasefire aimed at ending the devastating two-year war.

Preparations were underway Sunday for a ramp-up of aid entering the war-battered Gaza Strip under a new ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to the devastating 2-year-long war. The Israeli defense body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza,

Two officials tell The Associated Press that food distribution sites run by the controversial U.S.-Israel backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are being shut down under the terms of the ceasefire deal.