welcome to newsday, i'm katie silver. the long—awaited ceasefire in gaza has come into effect. after a delay, fighting stopped on sunday, and since then, displaced palestinians have been returning to the homes they had to flee during 15 months of war. lorries carrying vital aid are now flowing into the territory. in the past couple of hours, 90 palestinian prisoners have been released as part of the ceasefire deal. in tel aviv, crowds celebrated as three israeli hostages were released by hamas — handed over in dramatic scenes. among them 28—year—old emily damari — a british—israeli — who was reunited with her mother. and 24—year—old romi gonen and 31—year—old doron steinbrecher who were met by their mothers. the war was triggered by the hamas attack on israel on october 7 2023 —

which left over 1,200 people dead, mostly civilians, and saw 250 taken hostage. since then more than 16,000 palestinians have been killed in gaza, according to health officials in the territory. our international editorjeremy bowen bring us our top story as the ceasefire in gaza begins. in gaza, a show of force by hamas as they handed the hostages over to the international red cross. in the white vehicles, doron steinbrecher, romi gonen and emily damari were starting their journey back to freedom. the men and guns were there to send a signal to israel and other palestinian factions that, whether they like it or not, hamas is still in charge in gaza. that sight will infuriate israelis. back safely in israel, british—israeli emily damari first. family reunions in the hospital in tel aviv. all three women were healthy

enough to see the people they'd missed the most. this day has been a long time coming. at first light, thousands of palestinians in gaza began trying to walk home. this fragile ceasefire started almost three hours late. with zero trust on either side, israel continued its attacks here in khan yunis, as it waited for the names of the women being released. gaza civil defence, run by hamas, said 19 more palestinians were killed by israel during the delay. hamas joined the celebrations, trying to claim some kind of victory. the israelis have destroyed the offensive power hamas used to attack them 15 months ago, but the americans say hamas has nearly as many new recruits as israel has killed. after so much bloodshed, celebratory gunfire

did not make janah flinch. translation: may god have mercy on the oppressed and those - who have passed and pity on us who survived, and, god willing, everyone will return home. this celebration in khan yunis was filmed by a trusted palestinian cameraman, working for the bbc. israel does not let international journalists enter gaza to report freely. just over the border in israel is the site of the nova music festival, where hamas killed more than 380 people on the 7th of october, and took a0 hostage. this weekend, with the ceasefire coming, many israelis made their own pilgrimages, moving quietly around the photos and memorials to those who were killed. a short distance away is another memorial. the festivalgoers' cars, hundreds of them destroyed in the attack.

israelis here said they'd wanted a deal in which all the hostages were swapped for palestinian prisoners at the same time. that's because they believed the war is going to resume. they said it was unavoidable while hamas still has armed men in gaza. they want to kill us. they want to finish us. so what is the good questions? look, look, this is, this is the answer. this is what they want. can we live like this? no. a ceasefire, by definition, is a compromise between enemies, but since the october attacks, prime minister netanyahu has talked repeatedly about getting all the hostages back through total victory, the complete annihilation of hamas as a political and military force. but right now, that is not what the israeli people are being offered. they're worried, says

israel's leading pollster, that this deal, in phases, over months, could break down before all the hostages are out. israelis know that things that happen in phases, that are conditional upon one another, are basically another way of the israeli government and the other side, hamas also, saying, "we don't trust you. "we're looking for, we're looking to trip you up. "we're looking to accuse you of breaking the deal "so that we can break the deal". it's a mutual cycle that we've seen in every other phase deal in israeli history, and particularly with israeli—palestinian relations. tonight in the west bank, palestinians are waiting for the release of their prisoners. 90 in exchange for the three israelis. the next swap of prisoners and hostages is due on saturday. for palestinian and israeli families, this is a night for hope and relief, and some trepidation about what might lie ahead. jeremy bowen, bbc news, tel aviv. let's talk to jacob magid, us bureau chief

at the times of israel. jacob, we've just heard in the past few hours that 90 palestinian prisoners have been released as part of the first phase of a much—awaited ceasefire deal — can you tell us who they are? this is largely a group of women and then about a dozen or so men and then the remainder also are minors. this work, the easiest group for israel to release. they will then lease over 1000 palestinians who were arrested in the gaza strip since october seven. these were not people who participated in the war but who —— or the october seven attacks but 0ctober seven attacks but israel says they are terror suspects that they have been arrested. there is also been a strategy since the beginning of the war knowing they would have to be a hostage deal at some point that there was a bit of rounding up of palestinians of military age men who could have been suspect, might not have been, and then this makes it

easierfor them to carry been, and then this makes it easier for them to carry out this hostage deal before paying a lot of price before we get to the next stage they will be more serious prisoners that will be released. interesting. what is the _ will be released. interesting. what is the feeling _ will be released. interesting. what is the feeling in - will be released. interesting. what is the feeling in israel | what is the feeling in israel at the moment? no doubt many families, hostages, breathing sigh of relief?— sigh of relief? correct. the overwhelming _ sigh of relief? correct. the overwhelming feeling, - sigh of relief? correct. the| overwhelming feeling, even though there was a small part of the israeli side, there was a poll on friday that showed about 65— 70% of israelis support this deal and support the first phase of the deal in particular but even those who didn't oppose supported. you saw ben give ear, —— came out saying how heartwarming it was to see them return to their families —— ben—gvir, even if they didn't vote, —— today there is definitely a massive support the deal. i think yesterday and tomorrow they will be more disagreement and

frustration over the terms but right now seeing photos of those three families being able to reunite for the first time is something that i think nobody in israel can have a dry eye towards. nobody in israel can have a dry eye towards-_ eye towards. let's talk about tomorrow — eye towards. let's talk about tomorrow. netanyahu - eye towards. let's talk about tomorrow. netanyahu of- eye towards. let's talk about i tomorrow. netanyahu of course had always pledged to eradicate hamas, as we were hearing from our correspondent there, it certainly wasn't happening with those pictures now in palestine. it is a failure on his part? i palestine. it is a failure on his part?— his part? i would suggest utterly s0- _ his part? i would suggest utterly so. i _ his part? i would suggest utterly so. ithink- his part? i would suggest. utterly so. i think netanyahu from the beginning refused repeated efforts from the international community led by the us to put up an alternative, a viable alternative, a viable alternative, to hamas. the push from the international community was that to's foil, you could say, the palestinian authority which has a semi— autonomy in the west bank netanyahu, either due to his own politics or due to the politics of his coalition partners who have refused any role for the palestinian authority and what that meant was that all these arab countries that we may be

willing to help take part in the reconstruction process, help take part in the security of gaza and the governing of gaza after the war, they said thatis gaza after the war, they said that is our condition to doing so, the palestinian authority needs to be involved because we want this to be a pathway to eventually may be a future palestinian state with the west bank and gaza reunited after one single governing authority with matthew —— with netanyahu refusing to let the authority come in. they want hamas out of the picture. what the us tried to tell israelis this is not a recipe for success, we will be in a situation like we were in iraq where we're going to be in perpetual state of insurgency with hamas as this deal comes into play is now still being the only force in gaza. i think if you zoom out of these photos we are seeing today, yes, the voters themselves, they looked like a mas is still totally in charge. if you zoom out there were only several hundred people at the shows of force as they are being framed. hamas is

still massively decimated but there is just nobody else there to really pick up the gauntlet instead of them and therefore they will in the coming weeks try to rebuild. thank you forjoining me. a plan to rebuild gaza is not yet in place — and will form part of the next phases of the ceasefire negotiation. for now, displaced palestinians have started to return to the homes they fled. fergal keane reports now on the future for the people of gaza. from every face... ..the war stares back. "is it really over?", many wonder. all they've lost... ..all they've endured. cheering. but relief after the ceasefire. civil defence workers no longer fearing israeli attack — over 90 of their

colleagues were killed. hatem al atar, 2a years old, spent months searching for the wounded and the dead, checking for israeli snipers before going on, not knowing if he'll survive the day. hatem often led the way, into moments that could change everything. explosion. hatem! his friends rushed to help. hatem survived, to live in hope. translation: with the ceasefire deal, i will pursue my _ university study, once universities are back to business. i'm single, but i will think about getting married. gunfire. establishing security is a first priority.

a major aid operation is planned. the need is desperate. car horn beeps. this was a jordanian convoy, being unloaded soon after the ceasefire. two million people are displaced. the bbc followed professor jumah abu shiha as he returned home for the first time. translation: i built this house, block by block. i i painted it and worked on it. i came back and it's not a house any more. i can't find a house. i can only see destruction. gaza is full of traumatised child survivors, like ammaral—hindi. last october, the bbc filmed him after an israeli strike hit his home.

"you're strong, darling", the nurse tells him. "where's sharif?", he asked about his brother. "he's ok", the nurse responds. but sharif and the rest of ammar�*s family were already dead. now he's living with his grandparents, and talks about following the dream of another dead brother. he speaks arabic. he cries so much has been taken that will never come back. the living wonder if they will ever see the end of war.

fergal keane, bbc news, on the israel—gaza border. in less than 2a hours, donald trump will be sworn in as the us president for the second time. ahead of that, he's been holding a victory rally in washington dc. let's take a listen to some of what he had to say. once and for all we are going to end the rain of ourfailed and political corrupt administration. we're not going to take it anymore.— to take it anymore. cheering and applause. _ to take it anymore. cheering and applause. we're - to take it anymore. cheering and applause. we're going | to take it anymore. cheering. and applause. we're going to sto the and applause. we're going to stop the invasion _ and applause. we're going to stop the invasion of _ and applause. we're going to stop the invasion of our - stop the invasion of our borders, we're going to reclaim our wealth, we are going to unlock the liquid gold that is right under ourfeet, unlock the liquid gold that is right under our feet, liquid gold. right under our feet, liquid old. , �* , right under our feet, liquid old. , ~ , ~ ~ ,, gold. cheering and applause. we're going — gold. cheering and applause. we're going to — gold. cheering and applause. we're going to bring _ gold. cheering and applause. we're going to bring back- gold. cheering and applause. we're going to bring back law - we're going to bring back law and order to our cities. we're

going to restore patriotism to our schools, get radical left woke ideologies the hell out of our military and out of our government.— our military and out of our government. cheering and applause- _ government. cheering and applause. and _ government. cheering and applause. and we - government. cheering and applause. and we are - government. cheering and | applause. and we are going government. cheering and i applause. and we are going to make america _ applause. and we are going to make america great _ applause. and we are going to make america great again. - i'm joined now byjoseph nye. he has served as assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, chair of the national intelligence council, and a deputy under secretary of state. he's now university distinguished service professor emeritus, at harvard university. let start with a ceasefire in gaza. donald trump has claimed credit for it but he hasn't given a detailed plan. what you think his approach will be when it comes to gaza and the middle more generally? —— middle east. trump should get some credit

for backing up the plan which biden had negotiated so we will grant him that. he hasn't suggested what he will do. the big problem in gaza are, as we havejust heard, is big problem in gaza are, as we have just heard, is what happens, how is it governed in the wreckage that now exists and hamas is terribly weakened but it is not destroyed and along with the revival of hamas there has to be some plan for a broader authority, whether it is the palestinian authority or a joint arab authority, to be able to produce stability. trump has said nothing about this so we don't know what comes next.— this so we don't know what comes next. �* , ., ., ., comes next. 0k. and you wrote a book about — comes next. 0k. and you wrote a book about soft _ comes next. 0k. and you wrote a book about soft power, _ comes next. 0k. and you wrote a book about soft power, the - comes next. 0k. and you wrote a book about soft power, the idea i book about soft power, the idea that a country can get its needs met through persuasion rather than coercion or open —— or economic diplomacy. what is

your expectations for soft power under the next trump presidency? i’m power under the next trump presidency?— power under the next trump residen 7�* . . ~ presidency? i'm afraid american soft power— presidency? i'm afraid american soft power is — presidency? i'm afraid american soft power is going _ presidency? i'm afraid american soft power is going to _ presidency? i'm afraid american soft power is going to decline. l soft power is going to decline. when we look at public opinion polls asking people whether they find countries attractive, you will see that during trump's first presidency, american soft power went down. the polls show american soft power going up again somewhat under biden. if trump behaves in his second presidency, as he did in his first, i think you will see a decline in american soft power. turning to ukraine, we've heard is it an achievable goal? this is it an achievable goal? this is the type — is it an achievable goal? this is the type of _ is it an achievable goal? ti 3 is the type of hyperbole that trump is famous for with his

populist audiences. the interesting question is whether interesting question is whether in conducting or encouraging negotiations between russia and ukraine, trump will give ukraine, trump willgive ukraine, trump will give ukraine enough backing to be able to help the ukrainians reach a reasonable solution. if he continues to support ukraine thenit he continues to support ukraine then it is possible you will get a resolution of the conflict or at least a ceasefire which gives ukrainians something close to the current line of control. if on the other hand he decides he wants to end this quickly and decides to lean on the ukrainians and to support putin then you might get an answer but it will be a disastrous answer in terms of the values

that we are trying to uphold relating to putin's invasion of ukraine. ., ~ relating to putin's invasion of ukraine. ., ,, , ., relating to putin's invasion of ukraine. ., ,, ., ., ukraine. thank you for “oining me. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. the bbc understands the government will make an announcement on hospital funding in england next week. this includes hundreds of millions of pounds previously promised to london hospitals, including st helier hospital in sutton. chancellor rachel reeves announced injuly that a review would be carried out on hospital, road and rail projects. the chancellor's deputy darrenjones says donald trump

will want to do a good deal with the uk. jones, who is chief secretary to the treasury, said he was confident uk—us trade relations could be deepened. however, reform uk leader nigel farage has claimed prime minster sir keir starmer is in a weak negotiating position due to his wish to strengthen ties with the eu. kent police say a woman has been charged with attempted murder after a knife attack in dover.emergency services were called after a woman in her 50s was attacked while out walking.security staff at a nearby pub disarmed and restrained the suspect. the victim was treated at hospital and has since been discharged. you're live with bbc news. after a short—lived shutdown, tiktok is back up again. in a message to users, the app said it was a result of �*president trump's efforts'. tiktok released a statement thanking trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance that they will face no penalties providing the app to over 170 million american users. that came after donald trump said on truth social that he will issue an executive order when he takes office on monday, allowing tiktok a 90—day reprieve from a us law banning it on national security grounds. trump is also calling for the us to own half

of the platform and spoke about it in his speech a few hours ago. soi so i said very simply a joint venture. so, if tiktok is worth nothing, zero, without — if you don't approve they are out of business, they are worth nothing. if you do approve they are worth like $1 trillion, they are worth some crazy number. so i said i'll approve but let the united states of america owned 50% of tiktok. i'm approving on behalf of the united states.— united states. cheering and applause- — let's talk to joanne molinaro, aka "the korean vegan". she has 2.9 million tiktok followers and has been following this story closely. i watched your last post before we thought this band was going to be coming into play and potentially been around a while. very emotional. very much did get a sense that your

followers view you as family andindeed followers view you as family and indeed the children that you didn't have. can and indeed the