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Hamas handed over four dead hostages to the Red Cross in exchange for Israel’s release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, days before the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will end.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who identify as Christian has declined steadily for years, but that drop shows signs of slowing, according to a new survey Wednesday from the Pew Research Center. The Religious Landscape Study finds 62% of U.

CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts.

COLOGNE, Germany (AP) — Germany's Catholic Church has sharply criticized a carnival float made for a big street parade in the western city of Cologne that linked Jesus with the church abuse scandal.

SYDNEY (AP) — A Sydney nurse has been charged with making threats after she appeared in an online video saying she would not treat Israeli patients.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Yael Alexander has been watching the release of hostages from Gaza over the past six weeks with a mix of joy, envy and fear.

KHIAM, Lebanon (AP) — Residents of southern Lebanon have been gradually returning to their villages to find their homes heavily damaged by the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli and Hamas officials said Tuesday they have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, keeping their fragile ceasefire intact for at least a few more days

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli hostage freed in the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas said Tuesday that faith sustained her in captivity and that she used the few means that were available to observe Judaism.

Israeli and Hamas officials said Tuesday they have reached an agreement to exchange the bodies of dead hostages for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, keeping their fragile ceasefire intact for at least a few more days.