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Israeli President Isaac Herzog is praising Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, calling him a "true friend" of the country and thanking him for his efforts to secure the release of hostages from Hamas. 

"On behalf of the people of Israel, I send my heartfelt congratulations to you, President Donald Trump on your inauguration as the 47th POTUS," Herzog wrote on X. 

"You are a true friend of Israel. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to building a better future for our region. A special thank you for your commitment to bringing all our hostages home," he continued. 

"We wish you and your administration great success in your service to the American people. Good luck!" Herzog added. 

FREED ISRAELI HOSTAGE SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME 

The comments come a day after Hamas released to Israel three hostages it has been holding in captivity for nearly 500 days, as part of a cease-fire and hostage release agreement. 

In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank. 

"Let's face it, the fact that President Trump had a clear message, 'By my inauguration, I want to see hostages coming out, or else there will be hell to pay,’ made a huge impact in the Middle East, and we are hopeful that with his leadership, we're going to see all 98 hostages coming out starting today with the three female hostages," Ronen Neutra, whose son Omer was killed by Hamas terrorists, told Fox News on Sunday. 

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES 

Trump said last week, "This EPIC cease-fire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.  

"I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones," he had written on Truth Social. 

Fox News' Taylor Penley contributed to this report. 

One of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas is speaking out after spending nearly 500 days in captivity, saying that she has "returned to my life." 

In a post on Instagram, Emily Damari, 28, also wrote, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, I'm the happiest in the world just to be." 

Damari is a dual Israeli-British citizen who lost two fingers during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing authorities. She was said to be in stable condition on Sunday after being freed from the Gaza Strip. 

"Yesterday, I was finally able to give Emily the hug that I have been dreaming of," her mother Mandy Damari also said Monday in a statement released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, which has been advocating for the release of the captives. 

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES 

"I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated," her mother continued. "In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back." 

Mandy Damari described her daughter’s release as an "incredibly happy moment for our family" but said "we must also remember that 94 other hostages still remain." 

"The ceasefire must continue and every last hostage must be returned to their families," she added. 

ISRAEL, HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL COULD ENABLE REARMING OF GAZA TERRORISTS 

"As wonderful as it is to see Emily’s resilience, these are still early days. As you will have seen yesterday, Emily lost two of the fingers on her left hand," Mandy Damari also said. "She now needs time with her loved ones and her doctors as she begins her road to recovery." 

Damari was one of three hostages released by Hamas on Sunday as part of a cease-fire agreement. 

In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank. 

The other two Israeli hostages that were freed were identified as Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Romi Gonen, 24. 

Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners to cheering crowds in the West Bank following the return of three Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza. 

Some supporters were seen waving Hamas flags after climbing on top of the buses carrying detainees from Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to the Associated Press. All of those freed were women and teenagers who were being held on charges related to Israeli state security. 

"There’s this double feeling we’re living in, on the one hand, this feeling of freedom, that we thank everyone for, and on the other hand, this pain, of losing so many Palestinian martyrs," released detainee and political leader Khalida Jarrar told the news agency. 

The 62-year-old is a leading member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization. Jarrar has been in and out of Israeli prison in recent years and Human Rights Watch has previously called her arrests part of Israel’s wider crackdown on non-violent political opposition. 

FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY 

Bara’a Al-Fuqha, 22, hugged her family as she stepped off the white Red Cross bus and into the sea of cheering Palestinians.

A medical student at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem before her arrest, she had spent around six months in prison. She told the AP that she was held under administrative detention – a policy of indefinite imprisonment without formal charge or trial. 

"Thank God, I am here with my family, I’m satisfied," she said. "But my joy is limited, because so many among us Palestinians are being tortured and abused. Our people in Gaza are suffering. God willing, we will work to free them, too." 

AUBURN COACH BRUCE PEARL SLAMS HAMAS AFTER HOSTAGES ARE RELEASED 

The cease-fire and hostage deal involves Hamas gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza over the next six weeks in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza. 

The first three hostages released by Hamas on Sunday, all young women, were identified as Doron Steinbrecher, 31; Romi Gonen, 24; and Emily Damari, 28. 

"Over the next few days, they will undergo a battery of medical tests in order to prepare proper treatments after enduring such a torturous experience at the hands of Hamas terrorists," said Yitshak Kreiss, the director-general of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center. 

Fox News’ Louis Casiano and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

JERUSALEM—Scenes of armed and uniformed Hamas terrorists could be seen in Gaza on Sunday as the first three Israeli female hostages were released as the cease-fire deal came into effect. 

Israeli news agency TPS-IL reported that groups of armed men, suspected terrorists in the central Gaza area of Deir al-Balah, celebrated after the cease-fire and quoted them as chanting, "It is continuous by God’s permission to kill the last Zionist soldier in our holy country," as cars honked horns and music blared.

The agreement could enable Hamas to reorganize its terrorists in Gaza and repopulate the northern part of the Gaza Strip that borders Israel, according to some concerned Israeli military experts.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

"Despite significant military achievements against many of the Iranian terror proxies around it, Israel has been forced to agree to a very bad deal that leaves Hamas in power. As the leaders of Hamas have repeatedly stated, including after the declaration of the cease-fire, Hamas intends to continue on its path of Jihad against Israel until Israel is completely eliminated," former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, told Fox News Digital.

He continued, "Israel is held at gunpoint by the Hamas terror organization and has agreed to release almost 2,000 convicted Palestinian terrorists, to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and to temporarily cease-fire in order to repatriate 33 Israeli hostages."

Following the initial announcement of last week's deal, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, reportedly boasted that his movement plans to commit a second October 7 massacre of Israelis, according to a Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) translation of his remarks.

He reportedly bragged about the first slaughter of over 1,200 Israelis, including more than 40 Americans, on October 7, 2023, and declared plans to launch new mass murders. "October 7 Will Remain A Source Of Pride To Our People And Our Resistance, And Will Be Passed Down From Generation To Generation," declared al-Hayya.

He said the jihadi organization will expel Israel from Palestine and Jerusalem and that this will happen soon, adding, "We will never forget and never forgive," and vowing that Israel's crimes will be punished, "even if it takes time."

Conricus, a senior fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that only "Due to overwhelming international pressure applied on Israel throughout the last 15 months, which has prevented Israel from exercising the needed amount of leverage and pressure on Hamas in Gaza, this extortion deal is regrettably probably the best way of saving Israeli hostages."

Retired IDF Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi (Res) told Fox News Digital that at this stage, the government is prioritizing bringing back the hostages. It is obviously urgent. Their situation is very bad." He added "The government intends to go back fighting after the first stage unless there will be another cease-fire to get all the hostages. But there is no intention to give up destroying Hamas and creating a new reality in Gaza." 

BIDEN BALKS WHEN ASKED IF TRUMP DESERVES CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL: 'IS THAT A JOKE?'

Caroline Glick, a conservative Israeli commentator, who is well versed in the Jewish state’s campaign to defeat Hamas, said on her podcast, "What we’re having now is a situation where we are being forced permanently into this position where we are not allowed to win because that is what the cease-fire effectively does to Israel."

The cease-fire-for-hostages deal comes at a time when Israel has largely degraded Hamas’ military power. Hamas is in a feeble condition. Hezbollah, the main Hamas ally in the region, cut a cease-fire agreement with Israel and removed one of Iran-backed fronts against the Jewish state.

Iran’s regime has launched no new strikes against Israel since Jerusalem countered its October aerial attack.

The deal contains deep concessions for Israel. The Jewish state will release up to 2,000 Palestinian terrorists, including over a hundred serving life sentences.

The expectation is based on previous releases of Palestinian terrorists for Israeli hostages involved in the Palestinian murderers returning to fight Israel. 

TPS-IL reported on Monday that an estimated 20,000 terrorists from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terror groups have been killed in the war. On Sunday, it was also reported that Izz al-Din Haddad, commander of Hamas’s Northern Brigade, who oversaw Sunday’s transfer of three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, has been tapped as the Hamas leader to rebuild the terror organization. 

In the first images of the three hostages Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari being released to the Israeli Defense Forces on Sunday after their long captivity by Hamas, their faces told a story of resilience. After spending 471 days as prisoners, all three women were able to walk unaided from Red Cross vehicles to waiting IDF officials, marking the first step in Israel's historic cease-fire and hostage exchange agreement with Hamas.

The return of the three women was celebrated across Israel. Mandy Damari, mother of British-Israeli Emily Damari, said in a statement: "After 471 days Emily is finally home. I want to thank everyone who never stopped fighting for Emily throughout this horrendous ordeal, and who never stopped saying her name. In Israel, Britain, the United States, and around the world. Thank you for bringing Emily home. While Emily’s nightmare in Gaza is over, for too many other families the impossible wait continues. Every last hostage must be released, and humanitarian aid must be provided to the hostages who are still waiting to come home."

In a live broadcast, Romi Gonen’s father, Eitan, recited the Jewish blessing "Shehecheyanu," expressing gratitude for his daughter’s safe return. Meanwhile, her grandmother, Debora, voiced both relief and anguish: "I’ve waited for this day, this is the reason I live for, to see my granddaughter come home. But my heart is with the families still waiting. We must bring them all home."

HAMAS RELEASES 3 HOSTAGES UNDER ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE DEAL

Ashley Waxman Bakshi, the cousin of Agam Berger—a young soldier still held captive—captured the mixed emotions of the day. "After enduring hell, we desperately needed a moment to breathe and smile," Bakshi told Fox New Digital during a gathering in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where thousands came together to witness the first phase of the deal. "But this is only the beginning. We must continue until everyone is home."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who received real-time updates from IDF Coordinator Brigadier General (Res.) Gal Hirsch, described the moment as deeply emotional. "These three women have endured unimaginable darkness," Netanyahu said on the call with Hirsch. "Today, they step into the light, free at last, thanks to the heroic sacrifices of our soldiers. We will not stop until every last hostage is returned."

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES WILL RECEIVE HOSTAGES SUNDAY WITH EQUIPPED CAMPER TRAILERS AND COMFORTING SUPPLIES

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog welcomed the three women with a message of hope: "Romi, Emily, and Doron—so beloved and missed—an entire nation rejoices in your return. This is a day of joy and comfort, and the beginning of a challenging journey of recovery and healing together." Herzog also acknowledged the pain of families still waiting for news of their loved ones, pledging that Israel would not rest until all hostages were brought home.

The release of the hostages comes as part of a U.S.-Qatar-Egypt-mediated deal, in which Israel will release 90 Palestinian prisoners, some convicted of murder. Critics fear the potential security risks of releasing individuals involved in terror attacks that claimed Israeli lives. Defense Minister Israel Katz acknowledged these concerns, stating, "This is a moment of hope, but we must remain vigilant. We will not rest until all hostages are returned, alive or for burial."

President Joe Biden reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting Israel and ensuring the deal’s success, while acknowledging its complexity. "This deal must be seen through to its end. It falls to the next administration to continue this work, but today is a step forward."

WHAT TO EXPECT AS ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT ON SUNDAY

The deal, while sparking hope, also fuels anxiety about its durability and consequences. Critics question whether Hamas will honor the terms of the multi-phase agreement and express fears over the release of dangerous prisoners potentially reigniting violence.

The first phase of the agreement is set to last five weeks, with hostages and prisoners exchanged in carefully planned stages. By the 16th day, negotiations will begin for the second phase, focusing on the release of soldiers and young men, as well as the return of bodies. The IDF will maintain a presence in Gaza during this period, moving troops to a new security zone to oversee the deal’s implementation.

For the families of the 98 hostages still held by Hamas, Sunday’s events brought a glimmer of hope amid the pain. "We rejoice for the families reunited today," Bakshi said. "But this is far from over. It’s just the beginning of a long journey to bring everyone home."

Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. has warned that President-elect Trump’s administration will "undermine" democratic principles with a "maximum disruption" agenda, according to a report.

Reuters reported that it viewed a confidential briefing document signed by Ambassador Andreas Michaelis that describes the incoming Trump agenda as "a redefinition of the constitutional order - maximum concentration of power with the president at the expense of Congress and the federal states."

"Basic democratic principles and checks and balances will be largely undermined, the legislature, law enforcement and media will be robbed of their independence and misused as a political arm, Big Tech will be given co-governing power," reads the document, which was dated Jan. 14.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump transition team for comment but did not immediately hear back.

TRUMP INAUGURATION: WHO IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND, AND WHO IS BOYCOTTING?

Michaelis said recent actions by Trump and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk could lead to a "redefinition of the First Amendment." 

"One is using lawsuits, threatening criminal prosecution and license revocation, the other is having algorithms manipulated and accounts blocked," the document reads, per Reuters.

Musk supported Trump throughout the election, and was tapped by the president-elect to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency. 

GERMANY ACCUSES ELON MUSK OF TRYING TO INTERFERE IN ITS NATIONAL ELECTIONS

Last month, Germany accused Musk of attempting to interfere in the country's upcoming parliamentary elections on behalf of the country's far-right political party, German Alternative for Germany, citing recent social media posts and a weekend op-ed doubling down on his endorsement.

Meanwhile, Michaelis even claimed that Trump could force his agenda on states using broad legal options and that "even military deployment within the country for police activities would be possible in the event of declared 'insurrection' and 'invasion'."

The 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, however, bars federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement unless Congress overrides the federal law.

Despite what Michaelis says in the reported document, the German foreign ministry has acknowledged Trump won the democratic election and said it will "work closely with the new U.S. administration in the interests of Germany and Europe."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security situation assessment over the delay in receiving the list of hostages who are expected to be released Sunday morning as part of a cease-fire agreement with Hamas.

Netanyahu told the Israeli Defense Forces that the cease-fire would not begin until Israel has the list of hostages expected to be freed.

The agreement is set to go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, and Hamas has said it would provide the list of hostages.

Hamas said the delay in providing the names was due to "technical field reasons" and added that it is committed to the cease-fire deal announced last week.

WHAT TO EXPECT AS ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT ON SUNDAY

Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal early Saturday morning for a cease-fire in Gaza that would include the release of dozens of hostages and pause the war with Hamas that began after the terror group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish State.

The deal would allow 33 hostages to be set free over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remaining hostages are set to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on the seventh day and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war.

Gaza is expected to receive a surge in humanitarian aid when the cease-fire begins.

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES WILL RECEIVE HOSTAGES SUNDAY WITH EQUIPPED CAMPER TRAILERS AND COMFORTING SUPPLIES

The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which roughly 1,200 people wer killed and about 250 others were abducted, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's offensive, according to the Hamas-run government's local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.

After the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas goes into effect Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. local time in Israel, which is 1:30 a.m. ET, three female hostages are the first expected to be released. 

As of Saturday, at 8 p.m. ET, Israel was still waiting on the list of which hostages would be released first. 

Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal early Saturday morning for a cease-fire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages captured after Hamas' unprovoked attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

Phase One of the deal starts on Sunday with the release of the first three hostages and lasts 42 days. 

ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES WILL RECEIVE HOSTAGES SUNDAY WITH EQUIPPED CAMPER TRAILERS AND COMFORTING SUPPLIES

During that time, a total of 33 hostages will be released, with children, women, female soldiers, people over 50, and sick or injured men being prioritized. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be sent back to Gaza as well. 

Most of the Israeli hostages are believed to still be alive, but their identities won’t be revealed until closer to when they’re released. 

Another four hostages will be released on day seven and three more will be released on day 14, with a priority given to women.

Three more hostages will also be released on day 28 and again on day 35. 

Between days 35 and 42, hostages Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have both been held in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, will be released.

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE: ISRAELI GOVERNMENT APPROVES DEAL SIGNED BY NEGOTIATORS

In the last week of phase one, 12 hostages will be released. 

On the 16th day of Phase One, negotiations will begin for Phase Two, which is expected to include the release of all remaining Israeli hostages, including young men, soldiers, and fallen soldiers.

Phase Two will start on day 43 and last another 42 days. 

The Israeli government decided that the Israel Defense Force will remain in Gaza until the last hostage is freed, but they will move back to a security zone along the Gaza border that provides security for residents living there. 

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The plan is a new defense approach and is still being finalized under the IDF’s Southern Command. 

The Israel Defense Forces, in coordination with the Health Ministry, additional government ministries and security authorities, completed final preparations Saturday to receive the first of the hostages being released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip Sunday. 

The preparations included home-like conditions inside trailers for the hostages to sleep before they head to hospitals to be looked over and all the comforts of home, including baskets of toiletries and fresh clothes. 

Inside the trailers, the hostages will have couches and potted plants for a bit of décor. Outside, they can sit on outdoor patio furniture accented with colorful oversize pillows. 

The receiving locations also have necessary medical provisions. 

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

From there, the hostages will be taken to hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families. 

The IDF said it requests "patience and sensitivity" from the public as the hostages return. 

"We ask everyone to respect the privacy of the hostages and their families," the IDF said. "The public is requested only to refer to official updates and announcements and refrain from sharing unverified information." 

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT'

The hostages have been held by Hamas for nearly 500 days since Hamas' unprovoked attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023. 

Three hostages are expected to be released first on Sunday after a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas Wednesday. 

The first hostages released are expected to be female. 

In all, 33 hostages will be released, including two Americans. More than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be returned by the Israelis. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday Israel wouldn't move forward with the outline of the deal until it receives a list of the hostages to be released. That was agreed upon after the names didn't arrive from Qatar as expected Saturday. 

"Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement," he said. "The sole responsibility is on Hamas.

"In the … war, we make it clear to our enemies — we make it clear to the whole world — that when the people of Israel stand together, there is no force that can break us.

"To date, we have brought home 157 of our abductees, of which 117 are alive. In the agreement now approved, we will bring home 33 more of our brothers and sisters, most of them alive." 

He also credited both President Biden and President-elect Trump with helping reach a cease-fire deal. 

"As soon as he was elected, President Trump joined the mission of freeing the hostages," Netanyahu said. "He talked to me on Wednesday night. He welcomed the agreement, and he rightly emphasized that the first step of the agreement is a temporary cease-fire. That's what he said, "temporary cease-fire.’"

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Netanyahu said Biden and Trump "gave full backing to Israel's right to return to fighting if Israel comes to the conclusion that negotiations on Phase B are futile."

Netanyahu also said he appreciated Trump's decision to "remove all remaining restrictions on the supply of essential weapons and armaments to the State of Israel."

Before President-elect Trump took a shine to it, Greenland was already on the radar of the cruise ship industry with many vessels choosing picturesque Greenlandic towns for their ports of call. 

One of the ports is Qaqortoq, the largest town in southern Greenland.

Sailing from Iceland, the ship followed in the footsteps of Eric the Red, a Norseman who settled this area in 982. As Eric was exiled from Iceland, he made his home here and called it Greenland. 

Some 80% of the island is covered by icecap and the remaining parts do not appear very green either. 

‘MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN’: TRUMP'S HOUSE GOP ALLIES UNVEIL BILL TO AUTHORIZE COUNTRY'S PURCHASE

According to some historians, Eric the Red came up with the name simply for promotional purposes. 

He set out to attract more settlers from Iceland and advertised the island as a green land. Some experts say that Greenland could have been warmer at the time, but starting in the 15th century it experienced what is known as "The Little Ice Age." 

Life in Greenland became too harsh for Europeans. But the native population of the Island found ways to persevere. 

Nestled in the midst of a scenic fjord system, with a creek cascading across the town, and snow capping the mountain peaks even in the spring, Qaqortoq is a fascinating place to explore. 

RUSSIA MONITORING TRUMP'S ‘DRAMATIC’ COMMENTS ON GREENLAND ACQUISITION

Building highways in Greenland is expensive, therefore Qaqortoq is not connected by road to any other town or village. However, when the weather is warmer, the region provides ample opportunities for nature hikes, kayaking and fishing. 

The town was founded in 1775, as a trade colony, by Norwegian explorer Anders Olsen. With a population of just a little over 3,000, it offers a glimpse of Greenlandic life, Viking history and Nordic-inspired architecture.

The hills are peppered with colorful houses, creating a delightful contrast with the severe peaks of the surrounding fjords. 

Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, but the official language is Greenlandic. It's a polysynthetic language which means that, technically, there is no limit to the length of a Greenlandic word. 

Deciphering local signs can be fun and challenging at the same time. 

TRUMP ESCALATES PLANS TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND AFTER RESIDENT PLEADS: ‘DENMARK’S USING US'

Although trees are not easy to find, the area is full of all kinds of rocks and boulders. Some of them were turned into carvings of faces and whales, in a tribute called "Stone & Man." This open-air gallery is the work of local Qaqortoq artist Aka Høegh.

Qaqortoq boasts the oldest fountain in the country - Mindebrønden - Memorial Fountain. The fountain was completed in 1932 and is turned off during the winter months.

The town’s fish market sells whatever has been caught on a given day by local fishermen. It could be fish, or it could be whale meat, or perhaps a seal.

Qaqortoq is, after all, a fisherman's town and seafood plays a vital part in Greenland's diet.

The official religion of Greenland is Evangelical Lutheranism. In another port of call, a village called Nanortalik, members of the local congregation welcomed tourists with a musical performance.

Nanortalik means the "Place of Polar Bears". No bears, however, were spotted loitering around the village.

Greenland is the world's largest island - a treat for any tourist adventuresome enough to venture there. 

Two Iranian Supreme Court judges were shot and killed while a third judge was wounded Saturday. 

The incident happened in Tehran on Saturday, according to the judiciary's Mizan news website.

The judiciary identified the judges who were killed as ayatollahs Mohammad Moghiseh and Ali Razini.

RUSSIA TO SEAL PARTNERSHIP TREATY DAYS BEFORE TRUMP TAKES OFFICE

The gunman killed himself after shooting the judges outside the Supreme Court, the website said.

A bodyguard of one of the judges was also wounded in the attack, Iranian media reported.

IRAN'S PRESIDENT DENIES CLAIM THAT IRAN TRIED TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP

The motive for the assassination remains unclear.

Opposition websites have previously said Moghiseh was involved in trials of people they described as political prisoners.

Reuters contributed to this report.

The cease-fire between Hamas and Israel is expected to go into effect on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry.

Qatar’s foreign minister Majid al-Ansari urged people to exercise caution when the cease-fire goes into effect and to wait for instructions from officials. This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war.

Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal early Saturday morning for a cease-fire in Gaza that would include the release of dozens of hostages and pause the war with Hamas that began after the terror group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Jewish State.

The deal would allow 33 hostages to be set free over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remaining hostages are set to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HOSTAGES AND CEASE-FIRE DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS SET TO BEGIN SUNDAY

The IDF has been preparing to receive the hostages after their release from Hamas captivity and is operating to provide suitable physical and psychological support, with careful attention to every detail.

Alongside the agreement and our commitment to bringing home all the hostages, the IDF will continue to operate in order to ensure the security of all Israeli citizens, particularly those in communities near the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

But questions still remain about the cease-fire, including the identities of the 33 hostages who are set to be released during the first, six-week phase and which of them are still alive.

Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on Day seven and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.

Israel’s justice ministry released a list of more than 700 Palestinian detainees who are set to be freed in the deal’s first phase. The justice ministry said the release would not begin before 4 p.m. local time Sunday.

This is the second cease-fire achieved during the war.

Israeli forces also announced Saturday morning that its Air Force had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, just ahead of the expected cease-fire. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol but – as of early Saturday – no injuries were reported. 

Gaza is expected to receive a surge in humanitarian aid. Trucks carrying aid were seen Friday lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT'

The 15-month-long war in Gaza started when Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which roughly 1,200 people wer killed and about 250 others were abducted, prompting military retaliation from Israeli forces. Nearly 100 hostages remain captive in Gaza.

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's offensive, according to the Hamas-run government's local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.

Fox News' Yael Kuriel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Archaeologists have unearthed a lavish private bath complex in Pompeii, highlighting the wealth and grandeur of the ancient Roman city before it was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, the site said on Friday.

The baths, featuring hot, warm and cold rooms, could host up to 30 guests, allowing them to relax before heading into an adjacent, black-walled banquet hall, decorated with scenes from Greek mythology.

ITALY'S ANCIENT POMPEII PARK CRACKS DOWN ON DAILY VISITORS TO COMBAT OVERTOURISM

The pleasure complex lies inside a grand residence that has been uncovered over the last two years during excavations that have revealed the opulent city's multifaceted social life before Vesuvius buried it under a thick, suffocating blanket of ash.

A central courtyard with a large basin adds to the splendour of the house, which is believed to have been owned by a member of Pompeii's elite in its final years.

"This discovery underscores how Roman houses were more than private residences, they were stages for public life and self-promotion," said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park.

Zuchtriegel said the layout recalled scenes from the Roman novel "The Satyricon", where banquets and baths were central to displays of wealth and status.

Decorated with frescoes, the complex draws inspiration from Greek culture, emphasizing themes of leisure and erudition.

"The homeowner sought to create a spectacle, transforming their home into a Greek-style palace and gymnasium," Zuchtriegel said.

The remains of more than 1,000 victims have been found during excavations in Pompeii, including two bodies inside the private residence with the bathhouse - a woman, aged between 35-50, who was clutching jewellery and coins, and a younger man.

The discovery of their bodies was announced last year.

The Israeli government has finalized a historic cease-fire and hostage release agreement with Hamas, marking a critical step in the war since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack. Approved by the Israeli security cabinet and cabinet, the deal will take effect Sunday, with the first three hostages expected to be released. This agreement follows weeks of intensive negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised U.S. President Biden and President-elect Trump for their roles in advancing the negotiations. Netanyahu thanked Biden for his commitment and lauded Trump’s assertion that Gaza should never again become a "haven for terrorism." 

Trump, in a podcast interview, claimed his involvement accelerated the process, saying, "We changed the course of it, and we changed it fast."

Under the agreement, Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase, including women, children, elderly men and individuals with critical medical needs. Among them are 24-year-old Rumi Gonen, abducted from the Nova music festival, and Shiri Bibas with her two young sons, Ariel and baby Kfir. Families have been notified of the initial releases, while details of subsequent phases will be shared 24 hours prior to implementation.

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL REACHED: 'AMERICANS WILL BE PART OF THAT'

Out of the three Americans believed alive in Gaza, only two — Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen — are included in the first phase. Sagui's wife gave birth to their third child while he was in captivity. Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier, is not on the list.

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at FDD and former Trump NSC official, told Fox News last week Alexander being left off the initial list "would be a big strategic error."

In return, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including minors, women and individuals with health issues. Some of the notable prisoners include Nawal Abd Fattah, a 24-year-old convicted of attempting to stab an Israeli man in 2020, and Ibrahim Zmar, a 15-year-old involved in a 2023 shooting in Jerusalem. Those convicted of leading major terror attacks remain excluded from the deal.

The agreement stipulates that released prisoners cannot be arrested again on the same charges and are not required to sign any declarations upon their release. Each woman or child hostage corresponds to the release of 30 Palestinian prisoners, while the release of soldiers entails 30 life-sentenced prisoners and 20 serving long terms.

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

The deal also facilitates humanitarian relief, allowing 600 trucks of supplies into Gaza daily. By the 22nd day, displaced Gazans will be allowed to return to northern areas, with security inspections limited to vehicles under Qatari-Egyptian supervision. The Israeli military will reduce its presence in certain areas while retaining control of key routes.

The release schedule begins with three hostages on the first day, followed by four on the seventh day. Over the next five weeks, groups of three hostages will be released weekly until the 35th day. Between the 35th and 42nd days, 12 more hostages will be freed, including long-held captives including Avera Mengistu, who has been held captive in Gaza for a decade, and Hisham al-Sayed, a mentally ill individual who crossed into Gaza on his own and has been held there since before Oct. 7.

Negotiations for the second phase will begin on the 16th day of the first stage, focusing on the release of young men and soldiers and the return of bodies. This phase will start on the 43rd day, lasting 42 days, with discussions addressing the remaining captives.

"When phase two begins, there will be an exchange for the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will be withdrawn from Gaza, making the temporary cease-fire permanent," President Biden stated during a press conference Wednesday. He also noted that phase three would involve returning the remains of hostages killed in captivity and initiating a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.

Netanyahu, on the other hand, speaking during a cabinet meeting, emphasized that in his discussions with both President Biden and President-elect Trump, one point was made explicitly clear: If negotiations for the second phase of the agreement fail, Israel will resume military operations.

For families of the hostages, the agreement represents both hope and heartbreak. Ronen and Orna Neutra, whose American-Israeli son Omer was killed by Hamas and whose body remains in Gaza, called the deal bittersweet. 

"It's a tough moment. On the one hand, we're happy and excited for the families that will hopefully get to see their loved ones after such a long time," Orna Neutra told Fox News. 

"We're really hopeful that this new administration will be able to bring the deal to fruition and will have all the gravitas to put on the different parties in the region to follow through on it. We trust President Trump that, you know, this is important to him and that he will make sure that this happens." 

News that Israel and Hamas have finally signed a deal was met with an international sigh of relief on Friday as it could mean the return of all remaining hostages who have long been held in unconscionable conditions, as well as bring an end to the brutal 15-month campaign in Gaza.

The first 42-day phase of the ceasefire and hostage-exchange agreement will begin on Sunday, when three of the 33 hostages slated to be released will be returned to Israel.

The exchange of the remaining 65 hostages, both dead and alive, will be negotiated on the 16th day of the cease-fire. However, the return of those hostages will not begin until the 43rd day of the deal, marking the second phase of the cease-fire. 

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL: ISRAELI CABINET APPROVES DEAL SIGNED BY NEGOTIATORS

But the family members of hostages still in Gaza have yet to fully rejoice, and as many view the progression with cautious optimism, others believe the deal is not good enough. 

"We are dealing with this deal [for] more than a year, and both sides tried to achieve the best deal for themselves," retired Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Major General Yaakov Amidror said in a discussion with reporters Thursday afternoon. 

Amidror made clear there was no way to achieve a perfect solution, given the immense complexities and the need to balance the value of human life with that of achieving a strategic security aim.

"This is the deal. It's a bad one. But it's the only one through which we can get out 33 hostages," he said. "And I think that, morally, it should be done."

Amidror pointed to the objections that have been levied against the deal by those who contend that the first phase should have included every single hostage held by Hamas, as well as by others who argue that it is bad for Israeli security.

Part of the cease-fire agreement is reported to include a plan that has Israel withdrawing its forces across the strip to a security perimeter surrounding Israeli communities on the Gaza border.

Details on the IDF's withdrawal remain unclear at this time, particularly as they relate to the phases of the agreement and specific security corridors across the Gaza Strip, though The Times of Israel reported this week that the IDF intends to remain in the Gaza Strip until the last hostage is freed. 

"Israel is losing the ability to destroy Hamas totally," Amidror said. "Israel is losing the ability to continue the momentum, and what will happen after the 42 days, no one knows."

The retired Major General pointed out that as the terms of the deal have not been made public, it is unclear what security agreement Israel has entered into with the U.S. when it comes to Iran and the continued threat that Hamas – despite losing roughly 80% of its military capabilities with an estimated at least 20,000 militants killed – poses in potentially regrouping in Gaza. 

Given these concerns, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir this week reportedly threatened to quit his post if Israel were to agree to the brokered deal. 

ISRAEL, HAMAS CEASE-FIRE HELD UP OVER RENEWED DEBATE OVER PHILADELPHI SECURITY CORRIDOR, TERRORIST EXCHANGE

"Many people don't like it, because it is clear that Israel is losing the ability to destroy Hamas, as we promised," Amidror said. "But we found ourselves in a situation that is the only way to get the hostages home."

Amidror explained that it became undeniably evident that as soon as Israeli forces made advances in areas near where hostages were held, they were then assassinated by Hamas guards.

"We understood that there is no military way to get them. And we had to make a decision, a very tough one – do we give up the hostages [lives], or we are making a deal?"

John Hannah, former National Security Advisor to Dick Cheney and a JINSA Randi & Charles Wax Senior Fellow, said it was a "tortuous decision, enormously painful, but one that the Israeli people have to make."

Hannah said that while the decision is "incredibly divisive," polls show that the majority of Israelis support returning the hostages over completely destroying Hamas. 

"Hamas is going to be able to claim that it survived," Hannah said. "Israel will achieve one of its major war objectives, God willing, in the return of the hostages, but at the cost . . . [of] the annihilation of Hamas, both in its military and its governing components."

"The best deal is the one which was not achieved," Amidror said. "This is the deal."

"There is no other way to release the hostages, and from within Israeli society, that was very important," the retired Major General said. "Israel is a democracy, the government should hear what the people say."

A Pakistani court on Friday sentenced the country’s already-imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife to 14 and seven years in jail after finding them guilty of corruption, officials and his lawyer said.

It's yet another blow for the former premier who has been behind the bars since 2023.

The couple are accused of accepting a gift of land from a real estate tycoon in exchange for laundered money when Khan was in power.

Prosecutors say the businessman, Malik Riaz, was then allowed by Khan to pay fines that were imposed on him in another case from the same laundered money of 190 million British pounds ($240 million) that was returned to Pakistan by British authorities in 2022 to deposit with the national exchequer.

6 DEAD AS PROTESTS ERUPT IN PAKISTAN OVER JAILED FORMER PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN

Khan has denied wrongdoing and insisted since his arrest in 2023 that all the charges against him are a plot by rivals to keep him from returning to office.

According to Khan’s legal team, Khan laughed and his wife, Bushra Bibi, smiled when judge Nasir Javed read the verdict.

Later, Khan and Bibi were taken into custody by prison officials after the announcement of the verdict, according to officials. She had earlier served a prison sentence in another graft case until she was freed on bail by a court in October. She recently led a rally to demand her husband’s release.

Later, a post from Khan’s account on the X platform urged his supporters not to panic over the verdict, under which the al-Qadir University built by his wife's charity will also be taken over by authorities in the Punjab province.

"I will never accept this dictatorship and I will stay in the prison cell for as long as I have to in the struggle against this dictatorship, but I will not compromise on my principles and the struggle for the true freedom of the nation," Khan wrote. Khan’s family has said such posts are shared with his consent.

Faisal Chaudhry, a defense lawyer, said the court verdict could be challenged in the superior courts.

Shortly after the announcement of the verdict, lawmakers from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, party rallied outside the parliament in the capital, Islamabad, saying the former premier had been wrongly punished.

INDIA STEPS UP DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE TALIBAN AS RIVAL PAKISTAN LOSES INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN

"This is a bogus case, and we will approach an appeals court against this decision," said Omar Ayub Khan, a senior party leader who is not related to the former premier.

Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022, had previously been convicted on charges of corruption, revealing official secrets and violating marriage laws in three separate verdicts and sentenced to 10, 14 and seven years respectively. Under Pakistani law, he is to serve the terms concurrently — meaning, the length of the longest of the sentences.

Some of Khan’s supporters were also present outside the Adiala prison in the city of Rawalpindi, and they chanted slogans against the government, demanding the release of their leader.

On Thursday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told reporters in Islamabad that there was "irrefutable evidence" against Khan and his wife in the "mega corruption scandal." Tarar said that Khan even did not tell his own Cabinet members about the money that was returned to Pakistan by Britain.

Tarar also claimed that Khan built a new sprawling house in the eastern city of Lahore after giving benefits to the business tycoon, and that he was unable to prove that from where he got the money from to build it.

The latest development came a day after Khan's PTI party held a crucial round of talks with representatives of the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to demand the release of all political detainees, including Khan and other party leaders.

Sharif became prime minister following the February 2024 election, which PTI claims was rigged.

Two of America’s adversaries are solidifying their ties just days before President-elect Trump makes his historic return to the Oval Office. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian are meeting in Moscow to sign a partnership treaty.

Pezeshkian, who won the presidency in Iran’s July runoff election, is set to engage in talks with Putin and participate in the partnership pact-signing during his first trip to Moscow as president.

"Iran is an important partner for us with which we are developing multifaceted co-operation," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told press, according to a Reuters report.

Russia and Iran’s leaders are expected to discuss the development of transit corridors for trade and energy negotiations, Bloomberg reported. While Iran is looking to become a hub for Russian gas, there aren’t signs that the two have made substantial progress on the project, Bloomberg added.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan recently claimed that the Biden administration is leaving Russia, China and Iran "weaker" ahead of Trump’s return to Washington, even as the Kremlin makes its own moves on the world stage.

SULLIVAN CLAIMS BIDEN ADMIN LEAVES RUSSIA, CHINA AND IRAN 'WEAKER,' AMERICA 'SAFER' BEFORE TRUMP HANDOFF

Amid sanctions from the US and its allies, Russia has deepened its ties with other anti-West nations, such as Iran and North Korea. In fact, Russia and Iran’s relationship has grown since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to a yearslong war.

President-elect Trump’s incoming special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Ret. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg has already urged the US to return to the policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran.

"For the United States, a policy of maximum pressure must be reinstated, and it must be reinstated with the help of the rest of the globe, and that includes standing with the Iranian people and their aspirations for democracy," Kellogg said at an event sponsored by an Iranian opposition group, The National Council of Resistance of Iran, in Paris.

Kellogg is also urging the US to stand with the Iranian people against the regime in Teheran.

BLINKEN CONFIRMS IRAN SUPPLYING RUSSIA WITH SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES

Despite the US and its allies’ fears about the treaty, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the partnership pact should not be a cause of concern.

"This agreement, like our treaty with North Korea, is not directed against anyone," Lavrov said, according to Sky News.

In June, Putin met with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, where the two signed an aid pact that brought the two nations closer than ever since the fall of the Soviet Union. Putin also expressed his gratitude for Kim’s "unwavering support" of the ongoing war with Ukraine.

PUTIN TOUCHES DOWN IN PYONGYANG, SAYS 'HEROIC PEOPLE' OF NORTH KOREA WILL 'CONFRONT' WEST WITH RUSSIA

"We’ve seen […] Russia try, in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time.

He added that the US will "do everything we can to cut off the support that countries, like Iran and North Korea, are providing."

Brazil’s Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily restore his passport so that he could attend the inauguration in Washington of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump next week.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who Bolsonaro frequently has called his personal foe, said in the ruling that Bolsonaro currently holds no position that would allow him to represent Brazil at the event and that the former president did not adequately prove to the court that he had been invited.

HOW BRAZILIAN POLICE SAY BOLSONARO PLOTTED A COUP TO STAY IN OFFICE

Bolsonaro, under several wide-ranging investigations including over an alleged attempt to stay in office despite his electoral defeat, had his passport seized by federal police last February because he was considered a flight risk. He denies the allegations against him.

Bolsonaro responded to the verdict Thursday on X by accusing Brazil’s judicial system of political persecution against him, comparing his situation to legal cases in the U.S. against Trump. He said that Trump "overcame the judicial activism. I too will overcome it."

The former Brazilian president had requested permission to leave the country from Jan. 17 to 22 to attend the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 and a Hispanic inaugural ball. Bolsonaro, an outspoken admirer of Trump, said on his social media channels on Jan. 8 that he was "very happy with this invitation."

"I’ll be representing the conservative, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people there in the United States, God willing," Bolsonaro said.

When de Moraes asked Bolsonaro’s lawyers for evidence of his invitation on Saturday, they forwarded an invitation letter signed by inauguration committee co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler.

Still, de Moraes argued that Bolsonaro had not adequately proven that he was invited to the inauguration. In the ruling, de Moraes followed the recommendation of Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who said Wednesday that Bolsonaro's private interest in the trip did not outweigh the public interest in prohibiting him from traveling abroad.

De Moraes said Bolsonaro remains a flight risk and added that the former president has advocated that his supporters who face legal troubles in cases involving their political allegiance should leave the country and seek asylum. Hundreds of Bolsonaro's supporters involved in Jan. 8, 2023 riots in capital Brasilia have left Brazil to avoid prosecution.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will not attend Trump’s inauguration.

Federal police seized Bolsonaro’s passport in Feb. 2024, during a raid related to the investigation into whether he and top aides plotted to ignore the 2022 election results and stage an uprising to keep the defeated right-wing leader in power.

Brazil’s Supreme Court previously has denied a Bolsonaro request to retrieve his passport, in March 2024, following an invitation from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Last November, federal police formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officers, of attempting a coup. Gonet, the prosecutor-general, will decide whether to charge Bolsonaro or toss the investigation.

Legal experts believe Bolsonaro could be charged and stand trial in the second half of 2025 at the Supreme Court for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination status. Analysts also say there’s a reasonable chance he stands trial before 2026 over allegedly embezzling jewels gifted by Saudi Arabian authorities.

The former president denies that he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his leftist opponent, Lula.

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The Brazilian ambassador to the U.S., Maria Luiza Viotti, will attend Trump’s inauguration, the government told The Associated Press on Thursday. President Lula was not officially invited to the ceremony.

Trump has invited some global leaders to his inauguration, including China’s President Xi Jinping and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday, part of a European show of support and promises to keep helping Ukraine endure in its nearly three-year war with Russia.

The announcement came days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president with skepticism of America’s military burden in Europe and what he says is a plan to end the continent’s biggest conflict since World War II.

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"We are with you not just today or tomorrow, for this year or the next, but for 100 years — long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again," Starmer told Zelenskyy during a visit to Kyiv, promising that the U.K. would "play our part" in guaranteeing Ukraine's post-war security.

Starmer said that the landmark century-long agreement commits the two sides to cooperate on defense — especially maritime security against Russian activity in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov — and on technology projects including drones, which have become vital weapons for both sides in the war. The treaty also includes a system to help track stolen Ukrainian grain exported by Russia from occupied parts of the country.

Ukraine’s alignment with the West, and potential future membership in NATO, have angered Russian President Vladimir Putin, who still wants to exert influence over the independent nation.

While Starmer was meeting with Zelenskyy at the presidential palace, debris from Russian drones shot down by Ukraine’s air defenses fell in at least four districts of Kyiv, according to city administration chief Tymur Tkachenko. One was close to the Baroque presidential palace where the two men met.

Starmer said that the drones were "a reminder" of what the Ukrainian people are up against and their resolve.

Starmer’s unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since he took office in July, though he said that it was his seventh meeting with Zelenskyy.

The Italian defense chief was also in Kyiv on Thursday, two days after Germany’s defense minister visited and three days after Zelenskyy talked by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The flurry of diplomatic activity came in the days leading up to Trump’s inauguration on Monday, which is expected to bring a departure from the outgoing U.S. administration’s pledge to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to defeat Russia. Trump has also indicated that he wants Europe to shoulder more of the burden for helping Ukraine.

Kyiv’s allies have rushed to flood Ukraine with as much support as possible before Trump’s inauguration, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Ukrainians worry that Trump’s plan will demand unpalatable concessions, such as giving up territory. Zelenskyy has also said that he wants security guarantees to deter Russia from invading again in the future.

"We must look at how this war could end, the practical ways to get a just and lasting peace … that guarantees your security, your independence and your right to choose your own future," Starmer said at a joint news conference.

Zelenskyy said that the two leaders had discussed an idea floated by Macron for Western troops to monitor a future ceasefire, but said that it’s "a bit too early to talk about details."

Starmer left the door open to U.K. participation, telling Ukraine's leader that "we will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraine’s security."

"Those conversations will continue for many months ahead," Starmer said.

Zelenskyy has previously discussed a potential peacekeeping force with Baltic countries, France and Poland. But he said that it could only be part of the security solution and noted that "we do not consider security guarantees without the United States."

Starmer agreed that Washington's role in Ukraine is "vital." The United States is the biggest provider of military support and advanced weaponry to the country.

"We will continue to work with the U.S. on this," Starmer said.

Starmer said that in 2025, the U.K. will give Ukraine "more military support than ever before." He said that his country has already committed 3 billion pounds ($3.6 billion) for military aid this year, including 150 more artillery barrels and a U.K.-designed mobile air defense system named Gravehawk. The U.K. has pledged 12.8 billion pounds ($15.6 billion) in military and civilian aid since the war broke out.

During the daylong visit, Starmer and Zelenskyy laid flowers at a wall of remembrance for those killed in the war. The wall outside St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, a Kyiv landmark, is covered in photos of the slain, stretching for a city block. It has become a place of pilgrimage for families paying tribute to their lost loved ones.

Starmer also visited a Kyiv hospital specializing in burns treatment and an exhibition of drone technology.

As the grinding war nears the three-year mark, both Russia and Ukraine are pushing for battlefield gains before possible peace talks. Ukraine has started a second offensive in Russia’s Kursk region, where it is struggling to hang onto a chunk of territory it captured last year, and has stepped up drone and missile attacks on weapons sites and fuel depots inside Russia.

Moscow is slowly taking territory at the cost of high casualties along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in eastern Ukraine and launching intense barrages at Ukraine’s energy system, seeking to deprive Ukrainians of heat and light in the depths of winter. A major Russian ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday compelled authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas.

Disputes over the now infamous Philadelphi security corridor are once again plaguing efforts to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, an Israeli spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News Digital on Thursday. 

Hopes of cease-fire and hostage exchange deal first confirmed by the U.S. and Qatar on Wednesday appeared to be quelled by the time Americans were waking up on Thursday morning.

"The terrorist organization Hamas repeatedly raises new demands at the last minute, even though everything has already been agreed upon with the mediators, including the U.S.," spokesman for the prime minister Omer Dostri said, echoing comments made by Netanyahu in which he accused Hamas of "creating a last-minute crisis" and "backing out" of terms negotiated by the mediators. 

KIRBY 'CONFIDENT' AMERICANS IN GAZA WILL BE FREED SUNDAY AMID REPORTS OF ISRAEL, HAMAS DEAL HOLDUP

When pressed by Fox News Digital for specifics on what issues have once again apparently stalled the deal set to be implemented on Sunday, Dostri pointed to renewed disagreements over the security corridor that runs between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

"[Hamas is calling for] changing the deployment of Israeli military forces in the Philadelphia corridor," Dostri said without expanding on what deployment disagreements have occurred.  

The passage of land has repeatedly proved to be a sticking point in negotiations and may have contributed to the collapse of a July deal in which American-Israeli Hersh Golberg-Polin was slated to be freed, but which never came to fruition. Golberg-Polin and five other hostages were then killed one month later in a tunnel in Gaza. 

Jerusalem has claimed this corridor is vital for its national security interests as Hamas could use it to re-group by relying on smuggling efforts and connections with Jihadi groups in Egypt’s North Sinai region.

In response to Fox News Digital, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said, "We’re aware of these issues and we are working through them with the Israeli government, as well as other partners in the region. We are confident these implementing details can be hammered out and that the deal will move forward this weekend."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed this sentiment and told reporters in a press briefing that the deal will be "implemented on Sunday."

A part of the deal believed to have been agreed to this week said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would remain in the Gaza Strip until the last hostage was freed. But Israel also agreed to begin withdrawing its forces to a security zone surrounding the communities on the Gaza border, reported the Times of Israel.

ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL HANGS IN BALANCE AS KEY VOTE IS DELAYED

It is unclear what specifics regarding the Philadelphi corridor were agreed under the deal, though a senior diplomatic official told The Times of Israel that Israeli soldiers were intended to remain in the security corridor through the entirety of the first phase of the cease-fire. 

But Ruby Chen, father of Itay Chen – an IDF soldier who is believed to have been killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and whose body was taken into Gaza by Hamas – believes it is the security demands by the far-right in Israel that could once again pose a threat to the hostage deal. 

Chen pointed to right-wing government members like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who have repeatedly rejected any deal that does not include continued IDF presence in the Gaza Strip. 

"The coalition members of Bibi, are giving him a very hard time. And you know, he might be looking to get out of it," Chen said. "It's easy to blame the other side."

Another issue that has allegedly popped up, according to Netanyahu’s spokesman, is Hamas' demands over the release of certain terrorist members currently held by Israel, though Fox News Digital was unable to confirm exactly what new demands have been levied. 

In exchange for the hostages still held in Gaza, Israel has agreed to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners in the initial phase of the deal set to last 42 days. During that period, 33 hostages who fall under "humanitarian categories" including any possible children, women, the elderly and the sick will be freed first.

The second phase, which will be negotiated on the 16th day of the cease-fire, will then involve the release of soldiers held by Hamas, both living and dead. Some reports have suggested that Israel could release more than 1,000 prisoners by the time the exchanges are through. 

Chen has arduously pushed for the release of all the hostages, including the deceased, and argued that the plan to release soldiers and the deceased in a separate stage was no longer good enough.

"[That] was maybe needed seven months ago, when the framework was put in place," Chen said. "Since then, everybody is humanitarian – including the deceased. 

"The only thing that you can predict about the Middle East is that it is unpredictable," Chen added. "The Middle East is always a match-light away from blowing up."