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

The return of fighters to Gaza streets highlights how Israeli bombardment has failed to achieve Netanyahu’s goal or eradicating Hamas as a political force.

On the eve of his historic return to the White House, Trump helped broker the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that has allowed many of the Israeli (and American) hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 to be returned. If the deal holds, more will be released over time.

As the ceasefire-for-hostages agreement went into effect over the weekend, Hamas terrorists no longer disguised themselves as civilians and rode through the streets of Gaza in fully fueled vehicles.

Hamas is set to release four female Israeli soldiers on Saturday as part of the the ceasefire and hostage release deal it struck with Israel.

"It is striking that Israel was not mentioned in the president's inauguration speech," a senior Hamas official told Newsweek.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier accused Hamas of “reneging” on parts of the deal, under which Israel would withdraw from some areas of Gaza and obtain the return of hostages.

By Nandita Bose, Kanishka Singh and Nidal al-Mughrabi ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE/Cairo (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said Jordan and Egypt should take in Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza, a suggestion rejected by Hamas,

The Biden administration called for a final push before the president leaves office, with many seeing the Trump inauguration as an unofficial deadline.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says President Donald Trump has invited him to visit the White House on Feb. 4. This will make Netanyahu the first foreign leader to visit Washington in Trump’s second term.