The Israel-Hamas war has put back development in Gaza by 60 years and mobilising the tens of billions of dollars needed for reconstruction will be an uphill task, the United Nations said.
Around two-thirds of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged, and removing the estimated 42 million tonnes of rubble will be dangerous and complex, the head of the UN Development Programme told AFP.
Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who are poised to return to the US terrorism blacklist, released more than 150 prisoners of war in tearful scenes on Saturday.
Those freed, who included elderly men with long, grey beards, hugged and kissed relatives, some of them crying, as they were reunited in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.
The second unilateral release in eight months took place with the Huthis in the sights of not only US President Donald Trump but also the United Nations, after they detained seven UN humanitarian staff on Thursday.
Some of the few remaining survivors of Auschwitz will gather at the site of the Nazi death camp on Monday as the world marks the 80th anniversary of its liberation in the final months of World War II.
Around 50 ex-inmates are expected at a ceremony outside the historic gate of Auschwitz II-Birkenau alongside dozens of leaders including King Charles III and French President Emmanuel Macron.
"This year we will focus on the survivors and their message," Auschwitz Museum spokesman Pawel Sawicki told AFP. "There will not be any speeches by politicians."
Applause and cheers filled a Tel Aviv square on Saturday as Gaza militants released four Israeli hostages, followed by celebrations in the occupied West Bank when Israel freed 200 Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
While Israel and militant group Hamas completed their second hostage-prisoner swap under a ceasefire deal aimed at paving the way for a permanent end to their war, a last-minute dispute blocked the expected return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to the Gaza Strip's devastated north.
Hundreds of truckloads of aid have entered Gaza since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire began last weekend, but its distribution inside the devastated territory remains an enormous challenge.
The destruction of the infrastructure that previously processed deliveries and the collapse of the structures that used to maintain law and order make the safe delivery of aid to the territory's 2.4 million people a logistical and security nightmare.
Four young women soldiers, abducted by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023 while serving near the Gaza border, are set to be released on Saturday, according to a list provided by Hamas as part of its ceasefire agreement with Israel.
Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa and Naama Levy were captured together while deployed in a surveillance unit at the Nahal Oz military base, close to the Gaza border.
Their abduction was filmed by the militants.
Saudi Arabia "needs to punch at (its) weight" on the global stage given its growing institutional presence and the return of Donald Trump, the kingdom's finance minister told AFP in Davos.
The wealthiest country in the Arab world has taken a larger place on the international scene since assuming the presidency of the G20 in 2020, and is seeking the right balance between its Western allies and emerging countries.
Hamas on Friday said it would release the following day four Israeli women soldiers held hostage since October 7, 2023, in a second exchange under a ceasefire deal that has halted the Gaza war.
Israel confirmed it had received the list of names of the captives, and the Hostage and Missing Families Forum campaign group later named them as Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag.
Albag turned 19 while in captivity, while the other women are all now 20 years old.
Two buildings branded "Saudi House" and "Saudi At Davos" stand out on the chic main street of the Swiss Alpine village hosting the World Economic Forum, showcasing the kingdom's growing presence at major international events.
Saudi officials and business leaders make the annual pilgrimage to the meeting of the world's global elites every year, with this year's delegation counting 57 people.
Nine ministers made the trip this time, the most from any country, with some participating in panel discussions alongside other powerbrokers from around the world.
Israel announced on Friday that the withdrawal of its forces from southern Lebanon would continue beyond the 60-day period stipulated in a November ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the ceasefire agreement had been drafted "with the understanding that the withdrawal process might extend beyond the 60-day period".
The comment comes despite earlier calls from UN peacekeepers and French President Emmanuel Macron for "accelerated" implementation of the deal.
